Description
When Mildlifes debut album, Phase, was released in 2018 it didnt so much explode on to the scene as ooze. Their mellifluous mix of jazz, krautrock and, perhaps more pertinently, demon grooves, was the word of mouth sensation of that year among open – minded DJs and diggers searching for the perfect beat. Their emergence was backed up by European tours that demonstrated a riotously loose – limbed approach to performance that was every bit as thrilling as Phases tantalising promise. What was more impressive was how lightly they wore influences that took in Can, Patrick Adams and Jan Hammer Group, while primarily sounding precisely like Mildlife. By the end of 2018 theyd been nominees for Best Album at the Worldwide FM Awards (Worldwides Gilles Peterson was a notable champion) and won Best Electronic Act at The Age Musi c Victoria Awards back home in Melbourne. Their progress post – Phase was cemented with a UK deal with Jeff Barretts Heavenly, who released How Long Does It Take? replete with Cosmic doyen Baldelli and Dionigi remixes, while last year they were officially a nointed by DJ Harvey when he included The Magnificent Moon on his Pikes compilation Mercury Rising Vol Automatic, the band have made a step – change from their debut. Its more disciplined, directional and arguably more danceable. As on Phase, they are unafraid to let a track luxuriate in length without ever succumbing to self – indulgence. The arrangements, tightly structured thanks to Tom Shanahan (bass) and Jim Rindfleishs fatback drumming, permit space for the others to add spice to the stew, topped off with Kevin McDowells ethereal vocals as Mildlife effortlessly glide between live performance and studio songwriting. The centrepiece of Automatic is the title track where the band sound like Kraftwerk and Herbie Hancock on quarantined lockdown in Bob Moogs Trumansburg workshop. Its both a departure and quintessentially Mildlife. This is music you can dance to rather than dance music and its all the better for it.
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