through the moods

The debut EP from papaya noon – ‘through the moods’. papaya noon are a Cardiff-based duo comprised of vocalist Annie Mirza and multi-instrumentalist Greg Marriott. Formed five years ago, they make jazz-infused R&B music that incorporates their mutual love of classic soul, hip hop and electronica. The duo have already amassed an impressive fan-base online, garnering over 80,000 followers across their socials, and receiving praise from such luminaries in the US as Missy Elliot, Snoop Dogg, Queen Latifah, 9th Wonder, Bootie Brown and the late great Fatman Scoop. This is a result of their unique style, captivating grooves and deeply catchy hooks, encompassing a distinctive blend of soul music, from retrospective 90s vibes to alternative futuristic flavours, creating a sonic palette that’s wonderfully contemporary, yet very much their own. All their music is written, performed & produced single-handedly by the duo themselves, who’ve managed to create a magically powerful potion from their plant-filled Cardiff studio space, and generated huge anticipation for their future output in-turn. The future is Now as papaya noon are finally ready to unleash their music into the world. ‘through the moods’ is a 6-track EP of delicious alternative r&b vibes, already set to become future soul classics. Sonically rooted in warm, textured instrumentation and layered harmonies, the duo have triumphantly built a huge soundscape that feels simultaneously nostalgic and futuristic. Smoky late-night ballads nestle alongside infectious uptempo jams, leaning into their jazzy boom-bap and neo-soul influences, whilst showcasing their phenomenal spread of talents as performers and songwriters both. The duo explained that the EP navigates “neurodivergence, trauma & loss, with tenderness & honesty. Rather than presenting trauma as a spectacle, we’ve attempted to approach it with the softness and complexity that it merits”. From the first single release ‘blush’, to the downtempo sweetness of ‘blindside’ or ‘morning light’, to the pacier ‘on your side’ and EP closer ‘crybaby’, each track on this project exemplifies their unbridled ability to produce deeply infectious earworms, whilst thematically encompassing unflinching lyricism that’s deeply personal.