Need For Mirrors moves with quiet consistency. While others chase trends, Joe Moses seems to orbit them entirely- carving out his own lane somewhere between the minimal and the melodic, the abstract and the floor-filling. Over the years, he’s touched the scene’s most respected labels; Metalheadz, V Recordings, Commercial Suicide, SGN:LTD, each release like a breadcrumb in a career that values depth over hype. Now, he’s back with his third full-length project, Joey Tuna, landing on Souped Up Records, a label perhaps best known for tongue-in-cheek energy and oversized basslines. It’s not the most obvious pairing, but then again, Need For Mirrors has never been one for the obvious.
Paleblu sat down with him to talk about the album’s evolution, the story behind its surreal, pop-art aesthetic, and why a mascot in Japan inspired his latest alter ego. There’s talk of arpeggios overheard on London buses, cowboy-boot grooves, and even a Star Wars costume worthy of a championship win. In typical Need For Mirrors fashion, it’s a conversation that sits in a constant pursuit of originality.
How have you been?
I’ve been good, just working on this album, getting it out of the way, getting it out to everyone. So that’s kind of the focus right now. It’s been a long time coming
It’s a great project, from start to finish. You’ve released on quite a few different labels. Including SGN, Metalheadz, Commercial Suicide, and V Recordings. It’s your 3rd album, what drew you to Souped Up this time?
I’ve put out two albums prior: one for Klute’s Commercial Suicide and one for Doc Scott’s 31 Records. With Souped Up, it just felt natural. I’d collaborated with Serum before, he signed a few tracks, and it spiraled into a full album. It wasn’t planned or actually written for Souped Up, really- it kind of self-formed. I like keeping people guessing, pivoting from one label to another and challenging people to guess where I’ll be.
Would you say this album has been adapted to Souped Up in its style?
Not really- it’s just a Need for Mirrors album that happens to be on Souped Up. It has a beginning, middle, and end, and more vocals than my previous albums. Serum helped pace the tracks, moving some on or off to create a cohesive story. It’s a narrative and a flow through, and builds on things I’ve learned from the other albums.
Speaking of stories, Joey Tuna — where does that name come from?
I was touring Japan about nine years ago and I saw a mascot in Kosh- it was this tuna fish with its head cut off, kind of a fish-man. The idea stuck. In Japan I saw all kinds of animations like Spongebob and Jeff Koons art and different things where, it would be an inflatable balloon, or something maybe out of PVC. It’s like the different kinds of reflective surfaces you get from music or sound, bouncing back off it. It could be inflatable, hard, or have a reverb-like quality, all those textures. Sometimes it’s good to have an idea in your head of how things look when you’re not listening, like the picture that’s being painted in your mind leading up to a project. I think you need to to come a little different with Souped Up, There’s a comical element with their aesthetic, a bit of tongue in cheek. I wanted something iconic for the album artwork, something reflecting pop art, cartoons, and the music’s reflective of that. It gives off this wavy energy. It’s not just a collection of singles- it’s a full album experience.
Joey Tuna definitely has more of a ring to it than ‘fish-man’. There are some other tongue in cheek references in track titles like Phantom of the Ops, which really stands out. Thankfully this wasn’t a broadway musical number.
It has kind of a drill or grime vibe. I suppose, if you listen to a lot of music in London, you notice these little moments- music leaking from other people’s headphones on the train, outside Morleys, or on buses. You hear riffs while waiting outside schools or as people drive past. Depending on the time of year, the sounds change, and I tried to capture that arpeggiated, building-up feeling in the track. In a way, it’s almost like an opera: the atmosphere, the people, the masked figures moving around- it evokes a sort of ‘masked man of the opera’ imagery. Sometimes, I just write down names for songs on my phone, and when the right track comes along, it fits. That’s basically the vibe of that track.
And ‘Cuban Heel’?
That’s an ode to Armand Van Helden’s Necessary Evil. It started as a techno-leaning, rollery track, built for the dancefloor. The name comes from the heel of a cowboy boot, I imagine the track as line-dancing, cowboy-style. Others might hear jump-up vibes, but to me it’s all about the set and pacing.
We definitely got the techno vibe from that. You’ve collaborated with some heavyweights- DRS, Zero T, Krust. Is this your first album collaboration with Serum?
We’ve done tracks before, like Titanic, and he helped shape some tracks for the album. I don’t usually have collaborations on my albums; everything has to fit the narrative.
Soul in Motion has been running a long time. What’s coming next?
There’ll be an album party for Joey Tuna at Hootenanny in Brixton on November 1. plus a New Year’s event. The label’s constantly putting out music, a release every six weeks or so. Next year, we’ve got a dozen releases lined up and possibly two more album projects.
Favourite track or moment from the album?
‘Troubadour’ — straight hit from the start, always works. ‘Cuban Heel’ is great live, too. ‘Woodwind’ with the flute always captures people’s imagination, especially in London. It’s about taking listeners through unexpected turns; some tracks evolve in the second half in ways people don’t anticipate.
And any new artists you’re keeping an eye on?
Vocals from Tom in The Chamber, artists on the label like Anile, Automatic, Singer Unknown, Face, Basic Rhythm, Heron Flow. I’m hearing music written specifically for the label, and it’s a really healthy, exciting space right now. A lot of these artists are doing amazing music but need their time to shine.
Finally, I have to ask- what’s up with all the Star Wars figures behind you?
I’m a huge Star Wars fan. My son won the World Championship at Star Wars Celebration last year in a custom Boba Fett costume I made. I 3D printed, painted, and built everything! Jetpack, helmet, lights, the works. It’s just another side of my creative life.
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