Milow

Milow
with Lindsey Luff
If you welcome change, you can truly grow.Milow recognized this while making his fifth full-length album, Modern Heart. Climbing uncharted creative peaks, he naturally progressed and embraced a host of unexpected, yetcompletely apropos and inspiring influences.In terms of what I wanted to do, I saw things very clearly, he affirms. Its such an eclectic time, and I realized any limitations I had regarding my music came from me and not the audience. So, I decided to dive in headfirst and expand my horizons and styles. I wanted to infuse elements of alternative R&B and hip-hop productionsimilar to Frank Ocean, Drake, and The Weekndinto my world with the acoustic guitar adding color. It was the most liberating thing. I knew as long as I stayed true to my instincts for melodies, lyrics, stories, and the way I sing, it would sound like me.The critically acclaimed award-winning Belgian singer and songwriter preserves the hallmarks of his songwriting, that millions of fans initially fell in love withi.e. hummablemelodies and poignant lyricismbut he alters the delivery mechanism ever so slightly. In order to uncover this nexus of acoustic and electronic soundscapes, he hit the studio inJanuary 2015 with a cadre of different collaborators. Alongside producer and songwriter Brian Kennedy [Rihanna, Chris Brown], Milow tackled writing from a different angle altogether.Previously, Id start with an acoustic guitar, he continues. I thought, What if instead of a guitar, its some beats or an instrumental? This was a deliberate decision for me. I chose towork with people who I dont have a lot in common with at first sight. Their initial collaboration, the airy and upbeat The Fast Lane, built a template for the sound, becoming what Milow dubs, My mission statement. I wanted to raise the bar for the songs and the album, leaving my comfort zone behind.Kennedy introduced Milow to Grammy Award-winning producer and singer James Fauntleroy [Beyonce, Kendrick Lamar, Justin Timberlake], and they cut the album opener Waiting Around for Love and Running Blind. Meanwhile, Jamie N Commons delivers a chilling spoken word on the epic and spacey closer Way Up High. Diversifying the palette yet again, Milow collaborated with chart-topping German electronic dance music producer duo Rufus Dipper on the first single, Howling at the Moon. The song pairs lithe acoustic strumming and tambourine with an ethereal tropical house crescendo during the hook.Howling at the Moon gives the album a little more light, he says. It just came to me one afternoon at home in Belgium. Its a super simple folky song sung over four guitar chords,but its so much fun to sing. The beats add an extra touch of summer. That rounds out the listening experience.Elsewhere, second single Lonely One sees his voice careen over a nocturnal bass line, handclaps, and orchestral swells.Its got this dark nighttime vibe, he continues. Lonely One is about how technology affects our interactions with each other. In the times of social media, its not so easy to actually meet someone in person. Its an anthem for two lonely souls in the city and maybe their paths will cross.Tying his vision together cohesively, Milow also worked with producers Joe Chiccarelli [The White Stripes, Jason Mraz] and Marius de Vries [Bjrk, David Gray, Rufus Wainwright].The live performance was on my mind, he adds. I didnt want the songs to become sterile or overly mechanical, so I picked Joe and Marius to add another layer. They understand mylanguage in terms of vocal production and live musicians. Its the perfect crossroads.In many ways, the records title, Modern Heart, represents both his personal and creative evolution. The heart beats as loudly as ever but through a fresh musical body. Im a sentimental guy, he smiles. Its important for me to put that emotion into the music. I always try to maintain that within the production. Also, if you look closely, Modern Art is inside Modern Heart.That heart is what attracted countless fans to his music in the first place with 2009s selftitled European debut Milow. By 2010, he had gone platinum in Germany, Belgium and Switzerland, and gold in France, Austria, and The Netherlands, selling more than 500,000 units across mainland Europe and Canada. His acoustic cover of 50 Cent and Justin Timberlakes Ayo Technology went viral with 60 million views on YouTube and 40 million Spotify streams, and an article in Time Magazine. In between releasing 2011s North and South (with the hit single You and Me (In My Pocket)) and Silver Linings during 2014, heearned a total of 12 Music Industry Awards in Belgium.Now, Modern Heart signals Milows most adventurous chapter yet.Every album I make is the first time that someone hears me, he leaves off. I keep that in mind and ask myself, Could this be a debut album? Does it say enough about me? Is thiswho I am? Theres nothing like a first impression. There are songs that fit everything we go through in this day and age: the anxieties, the doubts, and dreams. This can be a soundtrackto that.

at Mercury Lounge
217 East Houston Street
New York, United States

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Orignal From: Milow