Introduction
Ever wondered what psychedelic rock would sound like with pop sensibilities? You can wonder no more as Moskitos is the answer! The South African band formed in 2021. They have so far released an EP in 2022. They also released an album in 2024. One thing is for sure though, there is PLENTY more to come!
Interview
I guess first we should ask about the music scene in Cape Town! How have locals taken to the band, and are there any local bands we should know about?
Moskitos – We love our DIY psych rock scene and the amazing, fucking cool and talented people in it – honestly this is a key part of why we do what we do. Being part of the shows you would want to go and capturing a time and place with music that connects people is what it’s all about.
The Cape Town music scene is a vibrant melting pot of incredible talent and supportive people. We’ve been embraced warmly since we’ve moved to the city and have been fortunate to play with some amazing bands. You should definitely check out Sold Ash, Black Math — two incredible acts pushing creative boundaries here.
You first came to our attention after hearing your music on the Dingir Zu Prophet Show. What can you tell us about your interactions with that group of lovely people?
Moskitos – The Dingir Zu Prophet Show has been such a generous platform for independent bands like us. They’ve always been supportive and enthusiastic about our music, and it’s inspiring to connect with people who truly love championing emerging artists.
You can join the Dingir Zu group using this link for the best rock recommendations!
Where did the name Moskitos come from?
Moskitos – The name Moskitos came from a last minute call to choose a name for our first real performance at a venue in Stellenbosch, South Africa.
Our initial name was The Gardeners, but that didn’t really suit our more surf/psych rock music initially, and Pete, our vocalist, remembered a funny story of a guy he met in Bali who took some shrooms and was asked to play with a random band that bounced around like Mosquitos.
So the name was kind of a last minute thing based on that idea of how we looked when we played.
We would say you have the perfect blend of psych-rock and a touch of pop-like sentiments throughout your music. We were wondering what groups inspired you.
Moskitos – Thank you! Our sound is inspired by a mix of old and new: 60s bands like The Kinks and Nuggets-era groups and more contemporary psych-rock bands like Thee Oh Sees, Ty Segall, and The Black Angels.
If someone is reading this and doesn’t know anything about the band, could you explain what they can expect from your music in one sentence?
Moskitos – Our music is a gritty yet melodic journey that oscillates between introspective psychedelia and unapologetic garage rock.
Your first release as a band was EP Adieu or Die. Where did the name come from, and what is the band’s personal favorite track from it?
Moskitos – Pete started conceptualizing Adieu Or Die whilst working and residing in the countryside in the south of France at the end of 2020. The feeling of isolation and alienation of being by himself in a foreign place, combined with the personal puzzle of figuring out what he really wanted to do with his life, created a space where a lot of introspective self exploration was happening.
The EP title, Adieu Or Die, Adieu meaning goodbye in French, is in essence a call to break free from one’s self-imposed negative thoughts that may hold one captive. The phrase “adieu or die” features in the title track of the Beach Boys’ 1971 release, Surf’s Up, an album which was majorly influential to the lyrics of the EP.
Personal favourite track would be Speed Unknown, as we really clicked on that one and was one of the first experimentations with odd time signatures featuring 6/8, 7/8 and 8/8 meters on the song. There’s also a sax overdub on the outro that elevates that section.
South Africa seems to be a melting pot of talent. What is it about the country that produces amazing bands such as yourselves, do you think?
Moskitos – South Africa’s isolation fosters a unique DIY spirit and creativity. There’s a sense of community and resilience here that fuels the music, and artists are constantly finding innovative ways to push boundaries.
Your most recent release from 2024, Mirage, came out to critical acclaim. Would you be able to break down the song Woman for us? What inspired it?
Moskitos – Woman starts with a far-off, dreamy vocal wash touching on shoegaze territory, but the guitars and hooks that are introduced later in the song invokes garage tones of early Kinks. The track unfolds in two distinct sections, offering a comforting initial embrace before unleashing a fierce second phase, symbolizing the duality of womanhood.
Lyrically, “Woman” serves as a poignant reminder of humanity’s indebtedness to the source of life itself – the mother. The song urges listeners to recognize the profound gift of life, weaving themes of reverence and urgency to echo the sentiment of gratefulness in an increasingly dissociated world.
We love the artwork on your albums/other releases. Can you let us know where the idea for these comes from, and who produces the art itself?
Moskitos – Thank you! The art was created by our close friends who are also talented local artists and designers. The Adieu Or Die cover was created via linocut by Hans Jansen van Vuuren and design done by Anke-Mari Geldenhuis. It depicts ominous controlling hands, which represent a negative force, in this context specifically one’s own negative thoughts.
The Magazines/Shakes single art was created by our bassist, Albert le Roux and the art for our latest album, Mirage, was designed by Anke-Mari Geldenhuis using an old photo of Pete diving into a lake in a forest outside of Cape Town.
The distorted reflection rippling across the surface is an unsettling reminder that what we see may not always be what is enforcing the main album theme of questioning your perception of reality.
Is there a world in which you might tour the UK anytime soon, or maybe the USA?
Moskitos – It’s something we’re actively working toward. We’d love to bring our music to audiences abroad, it’s just a matter of timing and logistics.
Speaking of tours, when you’re on tour, what food does the band tend to eat the most?
Moskitos – We’re big fans of grabbing a local speciality and always some lagers to wash it down.
If you had to compare yourselves to another band purely based on sound, who would it be?
Moskitos – It’s pretty difficult to distill everything down like that, but as mentioned some of our more modern past influences are bands such as Night Beats and Ghost Woman
We typically ask bands what the funniest thing that has ever happened at a show, but today we want to know what is the funniest thing that has ever happened in the recording studio?
Moskitos – When we recorded the songs Umbra and Ten Lies, Pete accidentally placed the floor tom mic upside down. We recorded an entire session and luckily our engineer on the album who was in the Netherlands at the time, Warren Fisher, realised this from watching a video of the performance.
We still kept those takes and they made it onto the album, so if you like the drum sound on those songs, now you know the secret.
What was the reaction of family when you first told them about the band, especially in what was in the middle of a global crisis?
Moskitos – Our families are super supportive of what we do, pretty grateful for that. It was a weird time trying to book shows in a pandemic, but somehow I think that period was beneficial in that it gave us some time to hone our sound before playing bigger shows.
What bands are on the most when traveling to a show in the car/coach?
Moskitos – Our playlists are diverse! You’ll hear everything from Shame and The Smile to classics like The Beach Boys and Black Sabbath.
How do the band members know each other pre-band?
Moskitos – Dan and Pete attended the same University residence and met Albert through mutual friends at a party in Stellenbosch and bonded over a shared love for experimental rock music and started organising long jam sessions in Pete’s digs garage.
What can we expect from Moskitos in 2025?
Moskitos – 2025 is all about taking Mirage on the road, exploring new sonic directions, and connecting with audiences on an even deeper level.
Finally, what is your go-to… Rock, paper, scissors?
Moskitos – Scissors baby
All rights to the songs in this interview are retained by Moskitos. This site claims no rights over them. All photos were provided by Moskitos and were taken by Pierre Rommelaere & Hough Maritz.
Fox Reviews Rock 
Let Fox Reviews Rock know what you think!