“When the mind soars in pursuit of things conceived in space, it pursues emptiness. But when man dives deep within himself, he experiences the fullness of existence.”
At first glance, this quote from the spiritual teacher Meher Baba could implicate life as duality, for there would be no existence without the presence of emptiness. In fact, evidence of a dualistic world is everywhere around us. There is no joy without pain, death without birth, or light without darkness. Yet, once you move from the light into the darkness or seek joyfulness in the midst of pain, you eventually realize it’s not so much a duality as it one and the same.
When the rising Denver producer Motifv began writing his new record, these kinds of philosophical concepts began swirling around in his mind.
“In the beginning, I thought I was making an album. I was making music about my life at the time and the things I was going through, but as I kept working on the music and building the concept I realized that I was kind of telling the same story through two different lenses. One looking forward and one looking in the past, one outward and one inward. It was still the same story but more like two sides to the same coin,” Motifv explained in an interview with The Daily Frequency.
What started as a singular vision quickly became the groundwork for not one but two EPs, Where the Sun Sets and Behind The Moon. Not only would both records tell two sides of the same story, but through the symbolism of the sun and moon, they would represent the perceived duality of our lives.
“The sun and moon have always been a source of inspiration in my art and in my life. They fill us with awe and wonder and also provide a feeling of connection with our universe and the people in it. But ultimately, I think that it represents a sort of ying//yang that’s present in everything. Two contrasting sides that we can find in everything we look at, even ourselves.”
Inspired by the skies above and intricately weaving elements of bass, soul, jazz, and hip-hop, Motifv embarks on a transformative sonic journey driven by introspection, contemplation, and self-discovery.
“The course of this adventure is charted through each track, beginning with the spark of departure, navigating through the richness of experiences and emotions, to finally pondering the intentions behind my creative destination,” he explained. “These two companion projects illustrate a journey from external explorations to inward quests. It’s a narrative of transformation, embracing the changes that come with moving from light into darkness and finding our way back again.”
From the exploratory cadence of Where the Sun Sets’ opening track On My Way to Behind The Moon’s closing track Fooled, Motifv delves deep into the uncharted territories of consciousness and examines what it means to be human.
“This marks my most intentional and vulnerable release to date and is a real-time reflection of my life and the emotions and experiences that are shaping it.”
Represented by the titles themselves, Motifv finds solace in the metaphorical concepts of the sun and the moon. Echoing the spiritual meaning of the total solar eclipse that occurred on April 8, Where the Sun Sets / Behind the Moon shines a light on what happens when the yin and yang become one—when the knower becomes the seeker and the seeker becomes the knower. We spend our whole lives chasing this grandiose transformation, but the true transformation is realizing you were already ‘it’ all along.
“During an eclipse, the moon obscures the sun, casting a shadow that envelops us in a momentary darkness—a powerful reminder for us of the cycles of hiding and revelation,” he explained. “Where the Sun Sets / Behind the Moon represents a unified journey through self-discovery and evolution, inspired by the worldwide experience of the transition that takes place during the eclipse.”
However, for Motifv, humanity may be more connected to the sun and the moon than we are led to believe.
“To be honest, I don’t know, but I think we might be. They are the objects that have dictated our experience on Earth since the beginning of time—every morning, the sun rises, and every night, it sets. So, to have the sun and moon overlap in the sky at the same time and cast a shadow on a huge portion of the earth truly goes against the normal programming of our experience. I think that alone has an effect on our psyche.”
Overall, Motifv reminds us that it’s not the destination that’s important but the journey. We think enlightenment comes from pursuing something beyond the world when, in actuality, it lies somewhere in between Where the Sun Sets and what resides Behind the Moon. Therefore, we don’t have to search outside ourselves to experience the infinite divine; we just have to look within.
From soul-stirring melodies to all-encompassing waves of bass, Motifv not only showcases an undeniable sense of self-expression but cements himself as one of the most promising rising artists in the scene, who, of course, shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon.
“You can absolutely expect more music from me this year as well as some really memorable shows and experiences. I am in a really good place creatively right now, and I’m so excited to get back into the studio and make some magic. Now that Where the Sun Sets//Behind the Moon is out, I have somewhat of a clean slate ahead, and I’m really looking forward to where the remainder of 2024 will take me.
You can stream Where the Sun Sets /Behind The Moon and keep up with Motifv HERE!
Check out more exclusive interviews with The Daily Frequency HERE!