Moss

Formed in Amsterdam in 2003 around singer and guitarist Marien Dorleijn, Moss sits in an indie rock and guitar-driven pop register, with a sound that has evolved from a fairly hushed melodic writing toward tighter forms, sometimes marked by alternative rock and psychedelic touches. Previously from Nimbus and then Caesar, Dorleijn launched Moss with Finn Kruyning, Bob Gibson and Jasper Verhulst, before guitarist Michiel Stam joined in 2009; the lineup would later undergo several changes, notably in the bass and keyboards positions. The band released The Long Way Back in 2007, then Never Be Scared/Don’t Be a Hero in 2009, an album that affirms a shift toward a more electric and direct edge. With Ornaments in 2012, Moss further broadens its palette between punchy pop, more airy textures and angular choruses, before continuing with We Both Know the Rest Is Noise in 2014, Strike in 2017 and HX in 2022. Over the years Moss has maintained a regular presence on the Dutch scene, through festivals like Lowlands and Pinkpop, while preserving an identity centered on guitar work, a sense of composition and a measured tension between pop clarity and rock energy.