Moses Sumney Live from Planet Afropunk, featuring music from "græ" and "Aromanticism."
Tracklist: 1. Virile 2. Conveyor 3. Cut Me 4. Plastic
Directed by Moses Sumney Creative Producer - Spencer Kelly Director of Photography - Andrew Anderson Produced by Leslie Raymond Styled by Phil Gomez Edited by Niles Howard Choreography by Moses Sumney and Stewart/Owen Dance
Aerial Cinematography by Jan Balster of 83 West Gimbal Operator - Daniel Judson Additional Camera - Josh Finck, Spencer Kelly Live Audio Engineer - Xandy Chelmis Wardrobe Assistant - Coco Villa HMU - Kahlani Cheri Production Assistant - Manny Figaro, Nico Guerra, Marco Guerra Floral Styling - Jillian Stewart
The Tiny Desk is working from home for the foreseeable future. Introducing NPR Music's Tiny Desk (home) concerts, bringing you performances from across the country and the world. It's the same spirit — stripped-down sets, an intimate setting — just a different space.
Aug. 10, 2020 | Bobby Carter -- If you aren't in touch with Moses Sumney's music in these times, you're doing yourself a great injustice. Much of his latest album, græ, foreshadowed current events in ways he couldn't even imagine, but his sense of humor about it is intact. "I'm performing songs off of my new album which I released in the middle of a worldwide pandemic, so that was fun," he says, "but all of the songs are about loneliness and isolation so, who's laughing now?"
His second Tiny Desk concert, recorded at his home in North Carolina, is just as stunning as his first. No matter how many instruments are assembled around the California native born to Ghanaian immigrants, his vocals almost always dominate, especially now. He told NPR contributor Jason King in an Instagram conversation ahead of this year's Pop Conference, "With this album, I was like yo, I could die any minute so let me sing all the high notes but also all the low notes and also, also, also." For his Tiny Desk (home) concert, he recreates three songs from græ and closes with 2018's "Rank and File," yet another song all too relevant in 2020.
SET LIST "Bless Me" "Me In 20 Years" "Polly" "Rank & File"
MUSICIANS Moses Sumney: vocals, guitar, piano
CREDITS Video by: Moses Sumney, Spencer Kelly, Josh Finck; Audio by: Ben Baptie; Producer: Bobby Carter; Audio Mastering Engineer: Josh Rogosin; Video Producer: Morgan Noelle Smith; Executive Producer: Lauren Onkey; Senior VP, Programming: Anya Grundmann
Moses Sumney - Keeps Me Alive / Visual by Josh Finck
Finding it hard to differentiate Are my proclivities of society Or innate Well, the source is irrelevant When it comes to truth And the truth is I want the same thing that you do Childlike curiosity about my fate Is the only thing That makes me stay
It keeps me alive It keeps me alive It keeps me alive It keeps me breathin' right
And yet the holy grail beckons “Hey, your chalice could still be filled some day by someone”
Childlike curiosity about my fate Is the only thing that makes me stay Though I've never been a sucker for co-dependency I'm taken by the possibility
It keeps me alive It keeps me alive It keeps me alive Oh, it keeps me breathin' right
Official video for "Cut Me" by Moses Sumney from the double album græ.
Written & Directed by Moses Sumney Dancers: Emara Neymour-Jackson & Malachi Middleton Cinematography: Cristina Dunlap Choreography: Amy Gardner Producer: Whitney Jackson Wardrobe Stylist: Phil Gomez Editor: Wes Sanchez Colorist: Kaitlyn Battistelli at Ethos Studio Production Designer: John Richoux Art Director: Gunnar Deathridge Set Decorator: Leah Bychurch VFX: Eric Epstein
Executive Producer: Justin Benoliel Production company: Object & Animal Set Decorator: Leah Bychurch Makeup: Jacque Piotrowski Steadicam Operator: Kyler Jae 1st AC: Tevin Tex 2nd AC: Stevie Murrell Gaffer: Justin Garcia Key Grip: Lev Abrahamian Stunt Coordinator: James Lew Production Supervisor: Meredith Kurey Assistant Production Supervisor: Amanda Sayeg
When I'm weary And so worn out Ooh, when my mind's clouded and Filled with doubt That's when I feel The most alive Masochistic kisses Are how I thrive
A stiffness (in) Inside my neck (and) Bangin' my head (a) Against the desk (woah) If there's no pain (is) There any progress
That's when I feel The most alive Endurance Is the source of my pride
Might not be healthy for me but seemingly I need What cuts me, cuts me, cuts me, cut me, cut me, cut me
Guess I'm a true immigrant son No vacancies, no vacations Sure, I could do better than this But I don't, I wont, I don't
Might not be healthy for me but seemingly I need What cuts me, cuts me, cuts me, cut me, cut me, cut me
[intro, in a bar: my life, to something, something bigger, than me]
I wish I could dedicate my life My life to something bigger Something bigger than me The earth ever spins on its axis I'm spinning in echopraxis My life does not belong to me
I gave my life To something Something bigger Than me
The galaxy's a broken mirror Slowly the asteroid gets nearer My strife does not belong to me
For that big blue bold I'll let go For the gold medal Surrender
My life To something Something bigger Than me I give my life To something Something bigger Than me
Official Video for “Virile” by Moses Sumney from the forthcoming double album græ, out on Jagjaguwar in 2020.
Directed by Moses Sumney Cinematography: Corey C. Waters Choreography: Moses Sumney & Chris Emile Producer: Whitney Jackson Wardrobe Stylist: Moses Sumney Editor: Niles Howard Colorist: Kaitlyn Battistelli at Ethos Studio Production Designer: John Richoux Art Director: Gunnar Deathridge
Set Decorator: Leah Bychurch Prop Master: Mason Reynolds Production Supervisor: Meredith Kurey Steadicam: Nick Muller 1st AC: Seth Lawrence Drone Pilot: Michael Izquierdo Drone Cam Op: Caleb Descognets Gaffer: Jay Harmon BBE: Khashi Tahamtan Key Grip: Jon Brooker BBG: Eric Sanchez Lady Bugs: Bob Dunn's Animal Services vfx: Gloria Additional Compositing: Eric Epstein