North Kingstown Band Moga Hits the Sweet Spot Between Electronic and Folk

Tuesday, May 25, 2010

MUSIC REVIEW by Timothy O'Keefe, GoLocalProv Arts Contributor

GoLocalProv's Timothy O'Keefe scouts local bands, listens critically to their MySpace songs, and brings you the ones you need to know about...  and listen to...  online as well as live. This week he reviews Moga, a folk/electronic band from South County.

Moga’s music elegantly combines folk and electronic elements, producing a signature sound that is both genuine and inspired.  Hailing from North Kingstown, Moga started in 2007 as a group of friends who shared a love for music.  It wasn’t until 2009 that they officially formed into the band they are today. 

Songs like Canopy capture Moga’s brilliance, opening with an atmospheric sweeping Moog-like drone, a muted electronic kick drum, and a beautiful organ-like synthesizer melody awash in a spacious reverb.  As the track builds, a pulsing acoustic low tom and tambourine become locked into the beat, grounding the rhythm and finding the shortest distance between all of the song’s expansive elements.

In Mountain Top, Moga pulls back on the electronic elements, pursuing a more traditional folk feel.  Even without the electronics, the atmospheric aesthetics of Moga are still present in the spatial qualities of Oliver Williams’s vocals and Alex Pendergrass’s organ, both treated with a healthy dose of big-room reverb. 

If you ever wanted a to hear a folk record produced by Brian Eno, Moga may satisfy that desire.  Check out their myspace at: http://www.myspace.com/muchomoga

Moga will be featured at Providence's IndieArts Fest in July.  For Moga's schedule, go to their MySpace page or blog, here.

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