South London artist Moses Boyd’s debut album Dark Matter came out today. The drummer, composer and producer has rolled his love of afrobeats, grime and jazz into his first proper full-length album. Dark Matter follows Displaced Diaspora from 2018 which was more of a group effort. On the new album he asserts himself as a bandleader he works with previous collaborators Obongjayar and Klein. Boyd just performed at New York’s Winter JazzFest and will start his European tour next week.  

South London jazz drummer Moses Boyd is getting ready for the release of his Dark Matter debut album and today he gives a preview of the music with the single “Shades Of You” featuring Poppy Ajudha. The uptempo song finds Ajudha casually approach the connection with another human being that is embedded in busy rhythms underneath. Boyd is performing at the Jazzfest in New York on Thursday, January 9th and he is going on a tour of the UK next month. Dark Matter follows his 2018 album Displaced Diaspora and officially comes out on February 14th. 

London artist Moses Boyd shares his response to the current political scene and news headlines with the single “Stranger Than Fiction.” The drummer, producer and resident DJ for BBC 1Xtra opens up the song with shimmering cymbals and things build with horns that are cavalier and purposeful at the same time. Boyd stated the source of the song,

“We’re in a time where the state of our politics, environment and news feel more like an alternate reality. And sadly the truth is often stranger than fiction.”

Boyd has been busy with the group he co-founded, Moses and Brinker and they have released three albums. He has also composed music for the Men’s Dunhill Paris Fashion Shows in 2018 and 2019. His collaboration with South African DJ Lag who is a king of the Gqom electronic genre, is on the official soundtrack for The Lion King. “Stranger Than Fiction” follows last year’s Displaced Diaspora EP.