In his interview feature, we get to know the most radicalist up and coming stars on the planet. 

This time, we caught up with noisy, experimental indie rockers Mosa Wild. 

The band’s debut EP is out today, August 2nd, through Glassnote Records, and it’s surely an exciting mixture of catchy, uplifting melody lines and noisy experimentation with perfect production that blends these elements into one glorious final product. Following ‘Night’, ‘Tides’ is their latest single; its huge textural range and spacious sound shows off their bold sound. The track has even seen BBC Radio 1 airplay through DJs such as Phil Taggart, Huw Stephens and Annie Mac. 

We’ve had a chance to speak to the band on a host of topics, including their exciting recent support slots, songwriting experimentation, their ambitions and more. 

TMR: With your debut Talking In Circles EP on its way, which track are you most excited for your audience to hear (that we haven’t already heard)? Why?

‘Honey’ is a fun one. If you’ve been to a live show you may have heard it, but otherwise probably not. It’s the first track on the EP and it’s got a joyful energy.

TMR: There is a distinct level of experimentation in the EP. What made you move towards this sort of texture over a more traditional indie sound?

As a band we have fairly broad influences and so like to draw on ideas from production styles other than traditional guitar band recordings. We also all just like experimenting with noise, and so if we stumble across a new effect or synth sound when we’re writing or in the studio, there’s a good chance we’ll find a use for it.

TMR: Obviously, the production from Jim Abbiss and James Kenosha plays a big part in the sound of the EP. Is there anything particularly exciting they brought to the EP in its final form?

Jim Abbiss helped us to get the most out of the arrangement of each song. He is great at carefully considering structure and the overall shape of a song. 

Being in the studio with James is a very creative experience. He is endlessly open to experimentation and gives us plenty of space to work through multiple ideas until we arrive at something that feels complete to us.

TMR: You all have a different musical background, with a spectrum ranging from classic rock to jazz, have you ever considered writing/releasing in a completely different style to your own?

Our different backgrounds definitely all have an influence on the sound of the band and continue to shift and develop as we write more. It would be difficult to work in a style other than our own, as it’s the combination of everyone’s varied tastes that is crucial to what we end up with.

TMR: You’ve said that you “don’t feel tethered to an instrument” in creating the sound of the band. How far might you run with that? Can you see yourselves building a track around the double bass? The sitar? The djembe?

Don’t rule it out. If we left Jim [Rubaduka, lead vocals] in a dark room with an egg shaker and some bagpipes he’d probably come out with a demo.

TMR: While your spacious sound is quite unique, if you had to narrow it down to three artists, who would you say your biggest influences are and why?

It’s impossible to narrow it down to just three but the first three names that come to mind are:

Bruce Springsteen - Because he’s the boss. He’s such a force AND he’s still putting on one of the best live shows on the planet.

Radiohead - Because they made some of us want to be in a band.

Bob Dylan - Because he’s one of the best storytellers.

TMR: Having said that, who would be your dream collaborator?

We all have various artists that we would love to collaborate with but a few that have come up are; Blake Mills, Andre 3000, Randy Newman, Jonny Greenwood and Justin Vernon.

TMR: It must’ve been pretty special supporting Tame Impala? And now Jade Bird in November? Is there anyone else you’d love to land a support slot with or are you just pushing for headline shows at the moment?

Yeah, they were definitely special and we’re definitely stoked about hitting the road with Jade in November. Our main focus will always be putting on the best shows we can wherever we are. But there’s something uniquely special about playing your own show because have given up their time just to see you, so you feel a special kind of responsibility which is magic.

TMR: Do you get more satisfaction from seeing the audience response to your studio releases, or live shows?

It’s amazing to get the response we do from our recorded music. To know that people you haven’t met around the world are listening and are fans of our songs is a pretty humbling experience. Having said that, it’s difficult to beat the feeling of playing a live show, there’s a shared experience and connection that you can’t get anywhere else.

TMR: Is there any one stage, festival or gig you’re aiming to play eventually?

There are SO many! But I think Glastonbury will forever be high up on all of our lists, so please keep your fingers crossed for us.

Dan Peeke