EU1OGY

There’s literally not a single band or artist out there right now that makes music that sounds quite like EU1OGY. The Baltimore artist, whose real name is Radell Isaac S. Moyd-Kane, synthesizes a variety of styles and genres into his impossible to pigeonhole sound, which is a guttural blend of driving hip-hop, vicious hardcore, and a smattering of trap-inspired electronic elements, all of which serve to elevate his intensely authentic and piercing vocal delivery. Sonically, his sound is devastatingly heavy and channels the emotionally charged nature of his lyrics, which reflect his challenging and unique life experiences.  It’s music that’s unquestionably authentic, raw, and highly energetic, acting as an emotional outlet for EU1OGY’s complex makeup and a melting pot of his diverse musical palette. His debut album, DAGGERS, takes listeners on a roller coaster ride with energy levels that peak and then settle into several eerily atmospheric interstitials that break up the record into four distinct parts. It’s the kind of record that’s much more than a record. It’s an experience that leaves an indelible mark on anyone who listens to it.

DAGGERS has been out for about a month now and we had the chance to catch up with EU1OGY to chat about it, his background, how he’s able to meld so many different styles into his music, and much more:

Photo by Caron Stewart

Congrats on the release of DAGGERS! How’s it feel to have it out? Was this record done prior to the pandemic and then delayed? If so, what was that like for you?

Thanks! It feels great to finally have the record out. I spent a lot of time on it. DAGGERS was done before the pandemic, and it definitely delayed it. I tried to find the silver lining though, and actually took the extra time to re-record the entire album and am really happy with how it turned out. At first, it was disappointing to have to wait to put it out, but I figured out a way to make it a positive. 

How’s the last year been for you as an artist?

It's made me realize how grateful I am to have music gear and the space to create music whenever I want in my home studio. Working with a label and then having everything postponed because of a pandemic is an experience in itself, but I'm still thankful for the opportunities I have. I've always had a presence on the internet so it wasn't hard for me to shift to more virtual engagement, but I definitely miss playing live shows because the live show is when I can truly show my artistry and get that immediate feedback on it. 

How’d you come up with the moniker EU1OGY? What does it mean to you?

I came up with it while living in NYC and thinking about death a lot. I felt like I was going to leave earth and not be known or recognized for anything... everything in my life was a mess at that time and I realized I had to focus on me....so that's where the 1 comes from. It's just me. 

Your sound incorporates so many different influences and styles. How do you think you’re able to synthesize so much into your music? Is it something you’re conscious of during the songwriting process or is it just natural for you? 

It's more natural. I've lived and breathed music....different types of music... for so long, EU1OGY is kind of just the natural next step in sound for me. I have this long history in the hardcore and punk scenes here in Baltimore and then I moved to NYC where I started to get more into electronic and hip hop. It was definitely natural for me to experiment combining the influences. 

The track WAGON 2.0 is a reimagined version of your track WAGON. Why’d you decide to re-record this track for this record? Did you approach it differently and how did you want it to sound this time around? 

I really wanted to re-record the song to have guitar added to it. WAGON was one of the first songs I ever made as EU1OGY and as I matured in this project my sound changed some and I wanted to keep the vibe of the original song but make it more contemporary to fit with where the rest of my songs were. 

“Tomorrow” is a song that really stood out to me, particularly the lyrics, as it kind of juxtaposes how we’re told to be hopeful for the future, but how that’s challenging when life becomes repetitive and monotonous, especially when bad things are happening. What were you getting at in that song?

TOMORROW is about racism and how at a young age I realized that even before I was born things were bad. They were bad for my parents. They were bad for their parents and so on. It expresses how things are messed up and I don't know if I will see them be better before I die. 

I also like how you work in these darker, atmospheric tracks like “Tied” and “Headbanger,” which are both lyrically sparse. How’d those songs come together? 

HEADBANGER is a song that I had written on guitar originally and my old bandmate (a project before EU1OGY) had this track that they had made for me. It was the perfect electronics to add the guitar to. I didn't want to write lyrics to it because I felt as though the song was enough as is. 

TIED is a song that I wrote before moving back home to Baltimore from New York. The instrumental has a panicked feel to it so I didn't want to say too much.... Sometimes I think having no lyrics can be as powerful as lyrics themselves. 

Photo by Caron Stewart

You’ve been very open about some of the challenges that you’ve faced in life, particularly during your childhood and in your relationships with others. Is this something you’ve always been open about through your music? Or was it something that took time for you to be comfortable with expressing? 

I think I've always expressed my life situations through my music... it's the best way to let go of things for me. I wasn't always as open about what those life experiences were though, so it did definitely take some time for me to be comfortable to talk to people about what I've been through. One day I realized that my journey could give other people hope who were in the same situations as me, so I felt like I should start to be vocal about it. Going through the foster care system and adoption for the first decade of my life put me in some weird headspaces as a kid, so music was my escape. When I found music I just immersed myself in it and could escape reality, or even make my own reality with it. There is a lot of stigma around being adopted so for a long time I didn't want to talk about it. Now, I'm happy and confident in my sound and identity and honestly I owe a lot of that to my experiences as a kid and what I had to go through. I think it's important to share that kind of stuff. 

Your music is very intense. What’s your writing process like? Do you find that you need to be in a particular mindset to write music?

I don't think I need to be in a particular mindset to write music. Lyrics come to me at the most random times. I'm constantly inspired by things around me and it actually can take me a while to write songs. I feel like I'm always writing...even with songs I've recorded I will change things from time to time when I'm playing them live. I don't feel like anything is ever finished because I always have ideas for ways to tweak songs. 

I really like the placement of the four numbered interludes on the record “9,” “12,” “3,” and “1.” Was there any significance to those particular numbers that made you select them as the titles? And as far as placement, were these tracks meant to split up the record into distinct parts?

Yes, 9, 12, 3, and 1 are the missing tracks to my EP "VESSELS" which is an entire body of work in the style of those numbered interludes. All the songs on VESSELS are numbered like that. 

I didn't necessarily mean for them to split the record into distinct parts but it kind of ended up that way. I like the idea of an interlude because it gives you a break to clear your mind. 

The video for HOT BOY is incredible. Who’d you work with on it? How’d you come up with the concept for it? 

The HOT BOY video is directed by WAXO and Monique Baron, who I have worked on all my videos for EU1OGY with. Originally we wanted the video to be super hype with a bunch of people in it but then we had to pivot when COVID hit. The song is all about feeling yourself so we ended up using a bunch of versions of EU1OGY from past videos instead of multiple people in it. When we shot the video it was right around the time of the huge fires in California that tinted the sky red, and WAXO thought it would be a perfect tie in with the HOT BOY theme to make the video look like it was on fire too. I'm super happy with how it turned out. 

You’re well known for your great live shows. For those who haven’t seen you play live, what can they expect from a EU1OGY show? Also, what songs are you most excited to play live? 

At a EU1OGY show you can expect moshing, dancing, maybe both. Regardless, you will 100% end up moving at some point - the energy that I bring when I perform is undeniable and usually by the 2nd song people are going IN. EU1OGY shows are spooky, heavy, gritty, sweaty, and loud. I love playing HOT BOY live because people actually lose their minds and go crazy when I play it. WAGON V. 2, SNAKES, REALIST and TOP DOWN make people go hard too. It's honestly hard to pick just one because when I play live they are all like one solid song and experience that feed into each other. You will never be bored at a EU1OGY show. 

I was stoked to see that Mattie Safer and Cell Laboratories released DAGGERS. How’d you connect with them and what’s it been like working with Cell Laboratories?

I met Prince of Cell Labs years ago when I lived in New York. I looked up to him as another black man in the scene and kept in touch with him online when I moved back to Baltimore. One day Mattie reached out and told me he liked my music and the rest is history. When they started Cell Laboratories, It was a great fit for EU1OGY and I felt like they had my back. Plus, I respected both Mattie and Prince as musicians, so I feel lucky to be blessed and on their team. 

What’s next for you?

I'm excited to tour when it's safe, meet new people, and work on my next projects, like "DRIP." the hardcore band I'm the frontman for. I'm working on a few more videos for songs off of DAGGERS and am excited to work on some new EU1OGY concepts visually and with my merch. 

You can purchase DAGGERS on limited edition vinyl via Cell Laboratories. Keep up with EU1OGY by following him on Instagram and liking him on Facebook. His music is also available on Soundcloud and Spotify.

Photo by Caron Stewart