Moses Sumney Delivers A 'Virile' Video With Announcement Of New Album 'grae'


To refer to Moses Sumney as merely a singer/songwriter is a gross understatement. The Los Angeles artist has more courage and creativity in his pinky than most contain in their entire being. Earlier this month, when he first announced that his new album grae would be released in two parts, we buckled in for the ride. The news came alongside the release of his striking single “Virile,” which further cemented our need to brace ourselves for multiple doses of abstract, artistic goodness via a variety of mediums.

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The lead single describes the disconnect between the societal image of masculinity and the complexities of individuality. He details the pull between fitting in and feeling right as he sings, “You wanna slip right in / Amp up the masculine / You've got the wrong idea, son / Dear son / We pick our own prisons.” The dynamic track matches the intensity and fury of the lyrics, enthralling the listener from the very first note.

The accompanying visual sends fans further into sensory overload with a captivating and somewhat puzzling capture. Directed by Moses himself, we watch as he transitions between arid landscapes and a meat locker. Upon first glance, the contrasting backdrops seem disconnected. However, after watching Moses maintain his existence through both, we note the basic similarities. Each extreme seemingly requires a medley of internal and external battles to survive, much like the world today. Something is always competing for our authenticity, our values and even our sanity, whether self-inflicted or the result of our environment. His depiction leaves us wondering how Moses fares in the final feud, as his perfect physique is engulfed by a swarm of unusually aggressive ladybugs. Though we are certain that we will need to watch this video a few more times to catch all the references, even at its surface Moses has delivered a stunning display of expression and we can’t wait to see more.

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Feast your ears and eyes on Moses Sumney’s “Virile” below and be sure to pre-order his grae album before its February release date.  The first installment of the album will be available digitally, followed by the second and full physical album release on May 15th via the Jagjaguwar label. In the meantime, check out the project’s tracklist after the clip.

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Moses Sumney's grae tracklist:

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Part One:

01 Insula
02 Cut Me
03 In Bloom
04 Virile
05 Conveyor
06 boxes
07 Gagarin
08 jill/jack
09 Colouour
10 also also also and and and
11 Neither/Nor
12 Polly

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Part Two:

13 Two Dogs
14 Bystanders
15 Me in 20 Years
16 Keeps Me Alive
17 Lucky Me
18 and so I come to isolation
19 Bless Me
20 before you go

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