"Clem & Clearlight" - Where Jazz, Spirit and Song Meet in Quiet Revelation

Clementine Moss, best known as the powerhouse drummer of the all female Led Zeppelin tribute band Zepparella, surprises and expands with her newest release "Clem & Clearlight" — a jazz inflected, spiritually infused collaboration with Italian guitarist and composer Daniele Gottardo.

While her previous release "Nothing Will Keep Us Apart", leaned into minimalist folk-pop with stripped down instrumentation and lyrics focused on the divine and human love, Clem & Clearlight delves deeper.

This nine song collection unfolds like a series of meditative vignettes, gently woven together by intuitive musicianship and a shared commitment to emotional and sonic openness.

Listen here:

https://open.spotify.com/album/0v1waY1VVkPETd9YYEJ4RY

Born from pandemic era jam sessions and co-writing exchanges, the album is lush in sound but not showy. Moss makes an intentional move away from conventional drumming, instead layering delicate percussion - tabla, frame drums, shakers and Tibetan bowls - with ambient instrumentation that honors the space between notes as much as the notes themselves.

Her background in spiritual healing modalities like Depth Hypnosis and Applied Shamanism does manage to seep through in the arrangements, lending a ritualistic quality to the record that’s both grounding and elevating.

The album opens with “Hey Sweetheart,” which sets the tone with Moss’s intimate vocals delivered over Gottardo’s subtle, evocative guitar work. The production is warm and organic, giving the song room to breathe. This is not just a mantra - it is a quiet insistence on grace in the face of darkness. This theme recurs throughout the album: love as illumination, even when it’s difficult to hold onto.

Pianist Jimi Marks, of the John Brothers Piano Company, plays a pivotal role on the record, co-writing six of the nine tracks and infusing each with cinematic sophistication. His contributions elevate the harmonic landscape while maintaining a light touch that complements Moss’s understated vocals. Robert Preston, a frequent collaborator, rounds out the trio with bass work that is subtle but essential, anchoring each track without weighing it down.

One of the album’s most compelling tracks is “I Love You Everyday,” a slow-burning, blues-tinted meditation on surrender and emotional risk. Moss’s voice carries a rawness here as she explores the fine line between devotion and dissolution.

Across the record, Gottardo’s guitar lines shimmer with clarity. He doesn’t fill the space; he accents it with his playing alternately lyrical and angular, sometimes hinting at classical technique, other times echoing jazz greats like Bill Frisell. Yet the overall tone remains cohesive and intimate.

"Clem & Clearlight" is not a flashy record. It is more of a patient one. It rewards repeat listens, gradually revealing its intricacies in layers.

The themes - spiritual searching, the tension between inner stillness and outer chaos, love in all its complicated forms - are quietly epic. Moss isn’t just experimenting with new sounds here but is also expanding her vocabulary as a storyteller and seeker.

For listeners looking for music that invites contemplation rather than distraction, Clem & Clearlight is a beautiful and necessary offering.

In letting go of the thunderous drum kit, Clementine Moss has found an entirely different kind of power. It is one that is rooted in vulnerability, stillness and the freedom of collaborative exploration.

About Clementine Moss

Clementine Moss is a multifaceted artist whose creative life bridges the worlds of rock performance, spiritual practice and lyrical introspection.

She is best known as the founding drummer of Zepparella, an all female powerhouse tribute to Led Zeppelin. Moss has spent over two decades channeling the thunderous energy of John Bonham while carving out her own identity as a musician, writer and healer.

In 2023, she published her memoir "From Bonham to Buddha and Back: The Slow Enlightenment of the Hard Rock Drummer", which is a deeply personal exploration of her twin paths as both a rock performer and spiritual seeker.

Drawing inspiration from her popular blog Bliss and Drumming, the book highlights her experience in Depth Hypnosis, Applied Shamanism, and non-denominational ministry, offering readers a compelling look at the intersection of music and mindful living.

While her drumming career has taken her to stages across the world - and even landed her behind the kit with NBC’s 8G Band on Late Night with Seth Meyers - Moss’s solo projects reveal a quieter, more contemplative voice.

Her albums "Nothing Will Keep Us Apart" and "Clem & Clearlight" showcase her talents as a songwriter, vocalist and collaborator, trading rock bombast for a more stripped down instrumentation.

In all of her creative work, Clementine Moss centers love as an artistic force, a spiritual compass and a means of transformation.

Follow Clementine Moss on Instagram

Stream "Clem & Clearlight" or purchase on Bandcamp