Mocky

Mocky dwells in his own musical universe, swathed in an air of mystery, and his unique vibe has charmed many a critic, fellow musician, and discerning fan. His is a land of soul minimalism, his sparse, leisurely compositions drawing upon funk, Afro-beat, free jazz, classical, and whatever else might curry his flitting (but not fleeting) fancy. While dealing mostly in instrumentals, when Mocky injects words into the mix, he does so with a Nick Drake-esque feather touch, in both his vocals and his lyrics. Born Dominic Solale in Saskatchewan, Canada, Mocky has lived the life of a nomad, alighting in Toronto and London before settling down in Berlin by the 2000s. Throughout the decade, he self-released an array of records while writing for and producing for Feist, Jamie Lidell, Nikka Costa, Jane Birkin, and others. Saskamodie, released by Crammed Discs in 2009, proved to be somewhat of a breakthrough record for Mocky, earning universally positive reviews, including raves from Pitchfork and the BBC.