PREMIERE: Moglii & Novaa Release Exquisite Collaborative Debut EP ‘Down Under’

When Australians mention Germany and music in the same sentence most of us think of gothic looking metalheads or large men dancing to ye olde folk music in lederhosen and spilling steins. But German electronic BFFs Moglii and Novaa are challenging our (very cultured) perception of Deutschland’s music scene with release of their mesmerising collaborative EP ‘Down Under’.

Moglii is the moniker of producer, singer, and jazz pianist Simon Ebener-Holscher, whose production style is characterised by warm beats, analogue synthesisers, and DIY samples such as coffee machines and shopping bags. Novaa is a singer, songwriter, and producer, who at only the age of 19 has been compared to Björk and Grimes. The two musicians, based in Germany, started writing the EP a year ago, stemming from a shared love of “natural soundscapes and higher thinking”.

The EP splutters out of the gates with the charmingly off-kilter title track Down Under. Moglii’s jagged beats and slightly dissonant production provide the perfect backdrop for Novaa’s seductive vocal samples and melodies. There’s something intoxicating about the track’s constantly developing layers of production, it’s actually disappointing when the winds down like a broken tape at the four minute mark.

“…the song covers plenty of ground, resulting in Mother (enjoyably) being neither calming nor danceable, it’s a sonic journey plain and simple.”

Mother follows the established off-kilter nature of the EP with the opening disjointed vocal samples smoothly layered over deep pounding bass and beats. Novaa’s voice is super smooth during the verses before a burst of energetic handclaps leads to a SOHN-esque booming synthesiser-led drop. Overall, the song covers plenty of ground, resulting in Mother (enjoyably) being neither calming nor danceable, it’s a sonic journey plain and simple.

Third track High sees a slightly RnB inspired production mixed with heavy vocal sampling. Novaa’s vocals take a backseat as the unorthodox yet seductive beat allows Moglii’s production skills to shine. There’s warping synths, a manipulated harp, wicked climbing vocal samples, and a firm backbeat that’ll keep your feet tapping throughout.

“The production is based on the vocal sample at the beginning, which we decided to become the refrain as well. To me, its the danciest track on the EP,” says Moglii. Lyrically, High is about losing yourself in a feeling and pretending to be close to someone to forget yourself, ”All I was once is slowly fading/when you’re coming closer dear“.

Carrying over the energy established by High, Same is one of the strongest tracks on ‘Down Under’. With a similar beat and tone to Drop The Game by Flume & Chet Faker, the song is wonderfully cruisey thanks to melting synths and the heavenly layering of vocal samples. The song’s repeating manipulated vocal sample “I don’t wanna” acts as the perfect earworm and anchors the glitchy production, while Novaa’s melodies beautifully intertwine with alien samples of her own voice.

Golden Lights pulls the EP’s energy back a tad with a smooth minimal production. Novaa’s silky vocals come across almost in lullaby fashion, while the bass-heavy soundscape is sporadically interrupted up by crashing cymbals and intriguing percussive embellishments. “The sounds of harps and picked guitar flageolet notes, which I set in a warm and big space/reverb, are standing as symbols for the Golden Lights [Novaa] is singing about,” says Moglii.

“The German dream team of Moglii and Novaa have delivered a truly unique EP, encompassing some of the best elements across electronic sub genres.”

Closing ‘Down Under’ is the minimalistic masterpiece Her. A subdued opening allows Moglii’s production skills to again shine through with the introduction of a saxophone and fluttering ambient synthesisers. Novaa’s voice is almost the only sound in the verses as the duo takes the minimalistic approach almost too literally, before the saxophone and booming beats creep back into the fray. Novaa says Her is about the demonic side of yourself that you cannot live without, “You hate and love this demon, and as such you struggle”.

Moglii created the bubbling percussive sounds for Her from ‘field recordings’. “All the fast ‘clacking’ and ‘noise’ sounds are played with pencils on a table and on my window. I sang the vocal samples “uhh uhhhuh”, which I pitched and played in double-time…it’s a nice mix of Novaa and my signature sounds and style,” says Moglii.

The German dream team of Moglii and Novaa have delivered a truly unique EP, encompassing some of the best elements across electronic sub genres. There’s so far no news of a world tour, so it might be best to bite the bullet and organise your next holiday to Germany, Oktoberfest is only a few months away…