PHONY PPL - mō'zā-ik.

PHONY PPL
mō'zā-ik.
2018
Spotify

Yesterday's Tomorrow was truly a magical album from PHONY PPL back in 2015. Their blend of jazz, funk, hip hop and R&B was something so wild and extravagant. It felt like their music could go anywhere and do anything. However four years on and a lineup change brings the group back together for this new album mō'zā-ik.. There is a decidedly less hip hop vibe on this record and instead the band lean into a more soulful, funky sound. "somethinG about your love." is this wonderfully sweet love song, bolstered by PHONY PPL's stellar instrumentation. One of the hallmarks the group prides themselves on is "never doing the same thing twice" and you can really sense that when listening to this record. Each track feels unique and almost like a standalone work. The band also signed with a new management company recently so this release is meant to solidify that relationship and signal a new arrival for the band. On mō'zā-ik. however there is a whole hell of a lot of meandering. The band have said these songs have been crafted over the past four years, but they feel very of the moment and some kind of free form version of jazz. We get a fantastic lyrical delivery and an atmospheric beat on "the Colours", even if the song ends up sounding a bit plain in the end.

I went back and listened to Yesterday's Tomorrow just to see if maybe I was missing something, or if there was something decidedly different between the two. The first thing that jumps out is that mō'zā-ik. is far more generic than their previous record. Their first album was meant to be listened to as one piece, with songs blinking in and out with little care for anything but the progression of the record. Here there is much more emphasis on making a hit song, three minutes in and out. That vibe just doesn't fit with their skill set. You would expect many of these songs to be much shorter or much longer if there wasn't new management involved. "Move Her Mind." is an 80s R&B inspired track that just feels plain as hell. "Before You get a Boyfriend" is similar in that it tries to harness the vibe of their first record but somehow falls pretty short. There are very few moments that make you stand up and take notice and even fewer euphoric releases. I keep wanting this to be better and I keep wanting to say good things because I believe PHONY PPL have some insane potential, this record just is not the one.

5.3 out of 10