Moise Igeno wakes up from a dream in which he plays a supportive character whose friend strives to become a professional Broadway dancer. She’s in school, and in order to make ends meet, performs erotic dance at night. Moise records voice memos or writes notes after waking up from dreams like these — which he thinks of as movies or films — and this one inspired the song “RASPBERRY TEA” on WE SURVIVED THE STORM, VOL. II.

VOL. II follows the 2022 release of WE SURVIVED THE STORM, VOL. I, where Moise established his skill in creating smooth, funky R&B tracks. On “BURN YOU OUT,” groovy basslines, seductive guitar leads, and deep drum beats reminiscent of ‘70s lay over flirtatious verses. The nimbly synth rhythms on “BACKYARD PARTY” are perfectly fitting for a serene summertime breeze.

Moise considers himself an optimistic person. With songs primarily written during the quarantine period of the pandemic, the two volumes of WE SURVIVED THE STORM are filled with hope — as if envisioning relief. Because Moise knew the music would be released in a year or two, he predicted the tumultuous energy in everyone’s lives would ease. “Like every storm, it does pass eventually, and you grow from that,” he says. 

The decision to split the album into two parts was strategically based on the artist’s observation of the way people tend to consume music at the present moment: hastily. “It just creates more air for [the songs] to breathe and be listened to. I think the most frustrating part, sometimes, when you're making music is just feeling like no one cares.” He continues, “But I think it's the best way I could control that and just really give the songs the time of day that I think they deserve.”

The artist didn’t want each volume to feel like a mixtape, so he thoughtfully considered the order of songs and attained exactly what he set out to achieve. When listening to VOL. I and VOL. II individually, each feels like a complete body work. The former builds upon playful instrumentation to soothe minds, and the latter incorporates dreamy harmonies to chart the luminescent space between desire and true intimacy. Both flow seamlessly from one track to the next. 

Moise’s introduction to music making came when a high school friend, who rapped and self-produced, invited Moise to give it a try himself. It all started when he remixed “Spotlight” by Gucci Mane and Usher, which his classmates met with approval.

Fast forward a few years, and Moise quickly gained international attention upon the release of his first single, “Wildflower,” in 2017, which he made on Garageband in his bedroom. A talent scout from the YouTube channel COLORS had been following the artist on Soundcloud and invited him to Berlin to record a performance of the song.

Moise’s style is influenced by familial tastes — like his dad’s love of Bob Marley and 2Pac and his mom’s appreciation of Destiny’s Child. One of the most significant impressions may have been his uncle’s interest in music videos. Each time Moise visited, he and his uncle would watch an archive of MTV videos recorded on VHS. “All the songs I really loved, I also vividly remember the music video with [them], and I really appreciate that,” he says. “I spent a lot of time in middle school [and] high school rushing home to watch [Total Request Live] and 106 & Park — all those Top 10 music videos back when we didn't have YouTube.” 

The experience with VHS recorded content informs Moise’s perspective of how visuals enhance interpretation of music. “Hopefully, people [who] do come in contact with [visual components] — whether it's a music video, whether it's the cover art, [or] the songs — they appreciate that.” Moise enjoys how two people can close their eyes, listen to the same song, and formulate completely different mental images. He also appreciates when artists offer a glimpse into their own worlds, and he takes pride in offering his perspective in the form of music videos.

The dream that led to “RASPBERRY TEA” materialized when Moise enlisted his longtime friend, video director Effy Kawira, to produce a music video for the song. In February 2023, they teamed up to spend one day filming for 15 hours. 

In the video, a dancer — played by the multi-hyphenate artist XINA — practices ballet by herself in a studio with bright daylight. Each graceful bodily movement translates to a seductive pose in a dimly lit venue with dollar bills on the floor. She trades pointe shoes with platform heeled boots and twirls around a pole. As Moise watches XINA, it’s not a lustful scene; he seems to be admiring his friend’s strength and tenacity.

Already skilled in the extreme sports of pointe and pole work, XINA was happy to share her energy with Moise’s vision. “The character was sort of, almost exactly who I am in real life, so it was kind of a beautiful, serendipitous moment,” XINA says. She recalls Moise describing the scenario as a coincidence, but she believes in the power of manifestation, and from her perspective, Moise’s dream planted the seed that connected them. 

Moise’s songwriting stems from his lived experience too — not only dreams. The song “LEE SCRATCH PERRY” captures a specific moment in time: When sitting in a studio with Elliot Roche, who plays guitar on WE SURVIVED THE STORM, Moise saw a news headline about the death of the Jamaican singer/producer, Lee “Scratch” Perry. He and Roche began listening to a few of Perry’s tracks, got inspired, and wrote the lyrics, guitar, and drums parts in one session. 

Other songs are based on his peers’ experiences. Explaining why the project’s title includes “WE” instead of  “I,” Moise says, “Not all the lyrics and stories are 100% about me. When I write stuff, I also like telling the stories of others and hoping that other people can relate…. [The title] includes everyone who's listening to it [and] everyone who made it.”

Moise shares others’ stories in mediums other than music as well. XINA and Kawira were the first guests on his new YouTube series, “In Conversation,” where he captures conversations he’s already having in real life — just adding a camera and microphones. By recording these chats with fellow creators, he hopes to spread knowledge in and outside of the Twin Cities community about navigating artistic struggles.

Whether it’s talking about how he combines his and others’ realities to form lyrical narratives, or how dreams can act as catalysts for his music, Moise emphasizes his own belief in manifestation — how mindset determines outcome. “If you don’t put your mind towards it, then you definitely won’t accomplish it,” he says. “But if you at least recognize it and make it a goal, or write it down, [or] tell yourself positive affirmations… I think that’s how things happen for us.” 

Moise hopes WE SURVIVED THE STORM accomplishes his goal of providing listeners with sonically satisfying tunes that embody any mood: “When you're sad, when you're happy, when you're celebratory, when you're down on your luck — I think there's really a song throughout the 14 tracks that touches one of those emotions.”

WE SURVIVED THE STORM, VOL. II is out May 26 via Unity Records. Moise and David Maxwell host an album listening party and art gallery at Public Functionary on May 26. RSVP here.