Everyone knows the iconic “stan Twitter” memes of hyper-surrealist album artwork, from Charli XCX‘s unreleased XCX World and Nicki Minaji’s upcoming Pink Friday 2 to Ryl0’s summery Last Resort and a similarly smaller artist by the name of Moistbreezy taking in the world of Pure Imagination.
Upon searching for the last entry, only one editorial by Paper Magazine surfaced, promoting her debut album three years ago. Reading it, you see Moistbreezy’s aesthetic before you hear it. You get escapism at its finest. A tropical siren, flattered by glittery butterflies and hazy lights.
Then her music plays, and it’s like the puzzle pieces finally fit into her dreamy visuals. It not only gives me butterflies (no pun intended), but a three-minute track now feels like an endless trance, courtesy of the pulsing Eurodance and shimmery techno.
Moistbreezy’s sophomore album, Pure Imagination, sits on that precipice of unreal ecstasy. Across its 13 tracks, I find myself replaying two tracks: the pseudo-Kylie Minogue track “Once In A Lifetime” reminiscences on a fantastical love story fitted for the Boiler Room, and when “Planet Pleasure” comes on, it’s more than new-age reimagination; you feel the go-go boys dancing in a very 2000s “Queer as Folk” way.
“That’s exactly on point for the sonic inspiration for this project,” Moistbreezy said via Zoom. “At first, I wanted to create a pure trance project, but I found myself pulling from the late ’90s and early 2000s dance genres, specifically circuit music. I came across this ‘Ariel Zetina Ode to Hex Hector’ mix on SoundCloud, and it was a big thing for me.”
Last month, I decided one publication wasn’t enough for such a talented and independent artist like Moistbreezy. When I reached out for a virtual interview, our unrefined morning attires made sense and were the least of our worries. Getting to know the world of Moistbreezy felt like a high school reunion, minus the awkward small talk. We instantly clicked and dived deep.
Read about the creative process behind Moistbreezy’s Pure Imagination below.
Andres Fabris: Before diving in, I really want to understand your background in music. Did you know that this was something you wanted to pursue when you were younger? How did this [career] come about?
Moistbreezy: I’ve always dabbled in some art form, but it took a lot of things tho fall into place before I realized music actually was what I wanted to do. I was more of a visual artist when I was a kid. But I did theater. I went to film school; I really had my hand and a lot of things. My thing was piano lessons. Honestly, I wasn’t that great of an instrumentalist. But, during high school, I took a music theory class and simply fell in love with music, especially electronic music production. When I figured that out, I was like, Why didn’t anyone tell me about this earlier? This is what I wanted to do.
AF: I have always been curious about your name. Moistbreezy. Is that just a play-on word? What is the meaning behind it?
M: With a name like Moistbreezy, I kinda got used to this being my most asked question. It’s expected. I didn’t come up with [the name] Moistbreezy myself. It’s like one of those things that started as a joke, and it stuck. There are several parts to the story. Originally, my friend was producing music and found this musical I wrote in high school. I was trying to do vocals for his project and would just troll him with these vulgar raps as a joke. Then, he said, “Oh, you need a terrible name for this weird rap project. You’re so Moist Princess.” And I said, “Yeah, that’s perfect.”
I put one of those [raps] on SoundCloud under “Moist Princess.” Then, a random troll renamed me “Moist Breezy” as a dig in the comment section. But I was like, “Oh, that’s even better,” and I just changed every social media handle I owned. Started fresh.
AF: I wouldn’t ever realize it came from an online troll. But honestly, like, once something sticks, it’s stuck. You know?
M: Yeah, I started leaning into it and tried to make a brand that sounded like the name. So, I was like, Oh, let me pull aquatic sounds and aesthetics. I was so worried that the cover art for Pure Imagination wouldn’t compare to my last project’s artwork.
AF: Thank you for segueing into Pure Imagination. From a lyrical standpoint, I thought you were waking up from your innocent, pure imagination. And in reality, you were actually in lots of conflict.
M: That is a great way of describing it [Pure Imagination]. There’s a lot of underlying things left unsaid. I like world-building. There’s definitely that element of character, of Moistbreezy embodying the story, but I’m pulling a lot from my own experiences. Speaking of it as a character, in the context of the story, is this innocent character buying into this romantic fantasy, the type that Disney movies feed you.
The reality is you’re dealing with fuckboys. That’s the crash landing of reality, where the fantasy starts to fade. A lot of this project was my experience during the pandemic. I was coming out of a relationship, and not being able to meet people created a great opportunity to create fantasies about meeting and getting back into dating.
AF: While this record feels like a push for a fresh trance sound, Pure Imagination feels like a dance-pop and Eurodance encyclopedia full of archetypes from the late ’90s to early 2000s. Were these references intentional?
M: Although I do love “On A Night Like This” by Kylie Minogue, most of the references are unintentional. In the electronic world, there’s a huge emphasis on creating a new sound. For a while, I was stuck on that notion. But then, I was like, “Oh, I just want to make stuff that I like, like things, and then let myself in.” I would rather not make perfect replicas of things from the past. In my early producing days, people would say, “I hear what you’re trying to do. But this is wrong.” Now, I’m trying to trust my own instincts. I’m not trying to put the stress on myself.
For Pure Imagination, I wanted to explore the overlap between real life and fantasy. I wanted it to be fun and explore these complex emotions I experience. That project was supposed to feel like an oasis. It’s 30-40 minutes of space and time that is all my own. Production-wise, it’s a dance party, but I consider it a sad record from a lyrical standpoint. If someone doesn’t connect with my story, they can still enjoy the music on a surface level at the least.
AF: Do you have a favorite song off Pure Imagination?
M: Most of the songs on that project are important to me, so it’s hard to pick one. I really wanted each song to feel like it could be a single. I was toying with releasing every song as a single because I felt like it was putting a curse on my love life. Like, I’m really trapped in this cycle until this project is released. Of course, it t’s just a superstition, but I’m still dealing with the same BS.
AF: Then, you must feel a sense of release now that Pure Imagination is out in the world. Is there new music on the horizon for you?
M: Definitely a release! I’m really into astrology, and I was given an a** whooping, to say the least. The transits were like, You’re gonna go through all this hard stuff, internally too, to clear out some old things and level you up. So, I’ve definitely experienced lots of things that have helped me transform, hopefully for the better.
With my career, I’ve been learning so much. I learned so much by just doing things. I never would’ve thought of pressing my music to vinyl, but I have pressed two projects [to vinyl.] I’ve recently started getting into putting on my own events. I think it helps give me a lot more control and confidence over my career.
On the production side, I think I’ve found my groove. I see myself going in a specific trajectory with my new music and doubling down on dance music. It’s been a very exhausting process; I’ve gotten very burnt-out. So, with this new project, I’m trying to be less hard on myself for visuals and just enjoy making music. It’s definitely a process, and I’m in no rush.
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