The new rainy day record

The name Maya Hawke may sound familiar, and rightfully so. She can be found in some of this year’s hottest series and movie releases like Stranger Things and Do Revenge. Hawke once again delivers another musical performance in her second studio album, MOSS.

Born in New York City and with two A-list parents, Hawke took to the world of entertainment quickly. With many big productions under her belt, she adds another full-length studio album.  MOSS comes in after her 2020 debut album Blush. Keeping the same gentle folk elements as Blush, Moss follows in its footsteps, delivering a wonderfully delightful record that may be the go-to album for fall.

The Single of the record, “Sweet Tooth” is the perfect headphone song. It kicks off with a gentle guitar plucking that rings from ear to ear. The song is soft and it is the perfect remedy to calm a busy brain. The calm vocals mixed with the busy instrumentation make the brain focus, making it a great study song.

“Luna Moth” brings on rainy day vibes, and memory reminiscing. The song up until the mid-way point is simply the same calming vocals and a bright strumming of an acoustic guitar. Once the first hook passes, listeners are created with an odd and slightly out-of-place distorted synth, which takes the mind out of the song for a moment.

Bringing back the gentle, uplifting momentum in the record is “Thérèse.” An interesting element in this track is the gritty distant electric guitars that seem to battle back and forth. This track carries so many different elements all mixed, yet it somehow all works perfectly together.

Closing out the album is” Mermaid Bar.” The song allows the album to finish out on a beautifully delicate note and keeps the gentleness that radiates throughout the album. Vocally, this is a highlighted song on the record. The lyrics are sung in a seamless stream almost mimicking the movement of the water she sings about. The vocal melody paints as vivid an image as the words do.

MOSS truly is going to be the fall album of this year. It is the perfect album for cold rainy days and even for late-night study sessions.