Posted on: March 18, 2012 Posted by: James McQuiston Comments: 1

Mike Moss creates utterly unique music that, while inspired by a wide array of different musicians, does not have any easy referent. Cold World Plastic Dream is a perfect example of this; there is a strong set of vocals that work off of a fuzzy, electronic nesting and Coldplay-like pianos. Only Lies is a bold gambit at the album’s fourth track. For this effort, there is little more than Moss’s vocals and a piano.

There is little production work done to Moss’s vocals, which are absolutely stellar. Fans that had been on the fence about Cold World Plastic Dream will eagerly anticipate what is to follow. I believe that the arrangement of tracks on this album is smart, as well. The slower style of Only Lies gives up to the strong drums and ropy bass lines of Emotion Machine. While this track does not come forth with a heavy rock feel, one cannot deny the insistence of the instrumental arrangements here.

Higher You Climb looks back into yesteryear, with stylistic nods to The Psychedelic Furs, U2, and New Order. Bouncing through styles with the greatest of ease, Mike Moss is able to include something for everyone on Cold World Plastic Dream. I would like to see how Moss’s style translates to a live setting. For those that would like a bare, stripped-down version of the man, the album ends with an unplugged version of Morning Call. This iteration of Morning Call has nods to the epic ballads of a Warrant or a Nelson and provides additional evidence that Moss has the chops to hang with anyone else on the music scene. Get a copy of Cold World Plastic Dream today.

Top Tracks: Drop In the Ocean, Higher You Climb

Rating: 8.2/10

Mike Moss – Cold World Plastic Dream (CD) / 2012 Self / 12 Tracks / http://www.mikemoss.co.uk

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