Moddi [Interview]
Moddi (full name Pål Moddi Knutsen) is a rare and special kind of artist. A Norwegian singer-songwriter unafraid of breaking taboos and capable of conveying intense emotions within the most stripped-down musical formats, Moddi and his recent Boileroom set blew me away to the point that I felt compelled to invite him for a short post-set conversation the moment he arrived at the merch table.
The following interview took place in an empty venue while Moddi was packing up for the night, preparing his gear and remaining merchandise for the next stage of his UK tour. Although I was a freshly converted newcomer to his work and world, Moddi remained patient, passionate, and heartwarmingly friendly throughout this additional and spontaneous demand on his time.
This is what we talked about. Read more…
When you spend most of your time scouring the world for exceptional sounds, you’re constantly at risk of contracting the music addict’s equivalent of cabin fever. It’s harsh but true to say that a huge percentage of the music out there either copies time-dulled formulae or lacks the passion and dedication essential in connecting forcefully and meaningfully with a curious listener – and too much time spent in its company can leave you feeling bored, drained, empty, and in need of some kind of escape. Luckily, there are some artists out there who can turn that creeping sense of apathetic torpor around.
One of the Dub Pistols’ most popular tracks is called Mucky Weekend – and the crowd at this show were definitely eager for one, despite it only being a Thursday night. Fair play. 
The world of the singer-songwriter is crowded, to say the least. Although there are many excellent contenders out there, it definitely takes someone truly exceptional to stand out from the crowd and make a serious impact.
As a music blogger, I get through a lot of songs over the course of a day. Very few make it through to the point where I feel compelled to write about them – and 99% of the time this is because the songwriters and performers in question are either too afraid to really open up and express themselves, or haven’t developed to the point where they’re capable of getting the point across in the manner they obviously intend. 
This show was special. 
Once again, I almost missed an opening set due to The Boileroom’s super-effective soundproofing. Fortunately I did make it out of the beer garden just in time to catch… 
Described in press releases as a “Jazz-soul Lothario”, Josh Bevan lives up to that reputation on Golden. 
A combination of Dream Theater folk-prog vibes and some Biffy Clyro-esque harmonies, all kicked off with some Imogen Heap atmospherics and John Mayer-style acoustic pop mastery. That’s one way to describe this track – but it would be far more accurate to describe it as something uniquely and distinctively Into Color. 
When The Boileroom is already buzzing by 8pm, you know it’s going to be an awesome night. Tree House Fire, Josh Bevan, and Bare Jams are increasingly heavy-hitting names, and expectations were high even before a single note was played.