Tag: john moods

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Discovery Zone, John Moods – The Reason

Usually when couples break up, they don’t decide to write an album together. But in this case, I’m very glad JJ Weihl aka Discovery Zone and John Moods did exactly that. Dreaming for Miles is a collection of songs that were written over the past ten years or so and recorded between their basement practice space and at their home in Berlin. After spending over a decade living together and playing music together, their lives pulled them in different directions, but during the process of separation, they decided to make a final record together. The result is reflective, often deeply sad, but also somewhat hopeful; a beautiful, poignant distillation of two singular artists saying goodbye to one another.

https://mansionsandmillions.bandcamp.com/album/dreaming-for-miles

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Music

Discovery Zone, John Moods – Change Into On Another

‘Change into One Another’ is a collaborative single by two of my favourite alt-pop artists, Discovery Zone and John Moods. The two share a long creative history, from playing together in the band Fenster to being partners in life. The track was written while they were parting ways, and both the song and its video explore how love changes us, and what follows in its aftermath.

https://mansionsandmillions.bandcamp.com/track/change-into-one-another-2

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Music

John Moods – Awfully Close

I’m not sure what the weather’s doing wherever you happen to be reading this from, but here in the south west of England it is bleak. Cold, windy, raining, depressing; so thank fuck for John Mood’s new album The Great Design and its soft warmth and positive vibes to lift all our spirits. Moods stays true to his MO of soft rock, synthpop, 80s stylings throughout, with the thoughtful, melancholic Awfully Close is a particularly evocative instrumental delight.

https://johnmoods.bandcamp.com/album/the-great-design

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Music

John Moods – Anyone

I will continue posting John Moods records until his new album lands in November, so don’t even think about trying to stop me! Described as appealing to “fans of “So”-era Peter Gabriel” (tick), Everyone is a soft-focus pop/rock ballad inspired by the Amazon and packed full of shimmering melodies and existential yearning. Melt.

https://bfan.link/anyone

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Music

John Moods – It Ain’t Your Time

Apologies for the extended hiatus. Glastonbury happened, then it took me a week before I could really even start listening to music again, never mind write about it, but here we are: I’m back, and PROMISE to never abandon you again.

Anyway, TPW favourite John Moods put out a new single last week, and here it is in all its nostalgic glory, reminiscent of the gorgeous lofi aesthetic of the similarly brilliant Molly Nilsson. Heartbreaking melodies will aways be welcome round these parts.

https://www.instagram.com/johnmoods

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Music

John Moods – Same As You

The first new solo material since his sublime So Sweet So Nice album from last year, Same As You sees the Berlin based-musician commit himself fully to 80s soft-rock balladry, with intoxicating results. It’s possibly a coincidence that the gently plucked guitar melody (very) strongly resembles Every Breath You Take – arguably the very epitome of melodramatic musical yearning – but whether it’s a direct lift or knowing nod to his inspirations, Moods carries it off with aplomb.

Read our One Track Mind feature with John Moods here.

https://www.instagram.com/johnmoods

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Interviews Music

One Track Mind: John Moods

The Berlin-based artist talks in depth about the enigmatic beauty of Townes Van Zandt’s Highway Kind

The premise of One Track Mind is pretty simple: I ask artists to pick one track that means a lot to them – either something they’ve discovered recently, something that’s been with them for years, or one that reminds them of a specific time in their life or career – and tell me what makes it so special to them. I get to talk to the artists I love, and they get to talk about the artists they love. Love all round!

John Moods is the musical solo exploration of Jonathan Jarzyna from the Berlin based pop band Fenster. Released back in August of this year, I came to his 2021 album So Sweet So Nice a little late, but it’s one of my favourite releases of the year. Tackling questions about mortality in an often light-hearted and delicate fashion, it at times evokes the hazy melodies of 80s acts like Steeley Dan, at others diving off into Paul Simon-adjacent territory, but all the while maintaining its own strong, distinctive identity. It’s a beautiful, beguiling body of work, and I one I highly recommend if you’re not already familiar with his music.

For his One Track Mind selection, John describes a song that seems to him to channel something from beyond this earthly plane.

Continue reading “One Track Mind: John Moods”