The 10000 Things: PRAISE SONGS for the iRiligious by Mazz Swift

Due to the slave trade and a lack of accurate lineage records, many Black Americans are unable to trace their ancestry, and for multi-instrumentalist and producer Mazz Swift, studying spirituals and slave music allows them to feel connected to their ancestry. In their new album The 10000 Things: PRAISE SONGS for the iRiligious, Swift takes the role of mediator between the past and future, combining rich traditional spirituals and Work Songs with crisp and futuristic electronic elements to create a totally original sound. Squealing folk violin warbles in the foreground while ethereal twinkling and buzzing overtones evoke the hazy heat of summer. Lush vocal harmonies and smooth spoken word layered over otherworldly synths tell emotional, historic stories while also offering insight into our mediator’s perspective. Through this lofi reimagining of hymns, Swift acknowledges the past and communicates it through their own lens, striving to keep these stories alive in a modern way while maintaining the dignity and historical significance of those who wrote them.