LA buzz-band Milo Greene have come a long way over the years, with their introspective indie pop sound fueling their success. Originating out of a group of other bands, Greene is made up of multi-instrumentalists that have come together with a unified goal of expressing their experience and deep understanding of music in their own unique way. This has translated into an accessible and endearing sound that can be heard throughout their two full length albums.
It is not always easy to leave something you have put so much of your time into behind to begin a new adventure. However, as members of Milo have stated before, their previous bands had reached their high point and in an inspiring move they decided that they would continue on to the next step of their careers. A grand takeaway from Milo is that we should not be satisfied with standing still, when we know that there is more out there that we can expose, furthering talents, trends or even your own well-being.
Fresh out of the gates of coming together and forming a cohesive sound, Milo Greene's debut self-titled album took the indie online circuit by storm when it was released in 2012. Their ambitious approach to music not only propelled them into the spotlight, but also solidified a strong basis to build off of with future releases.
Having recently released their sophomore album entitled Control, Milo Greene dug deeper into their bag of tricks to further their musical identity. Growing out of the building blocks set in place by their earlier music, Control offers a glistening view from above as gears churn from below, keeping the melodies free-flowing. One of the immediate additions that will be noticed in Control is the use of synths throughout many of its songs.
Used as a accompanying element instead of the crutch many bands rely on far too often, Milo's use of synths are clever and add another layer to an already wholesome sound. Also present on Control are songs that nod at their self-titled release, relying on stripped instrumental soundscapes to pave the way for dual vocalists to flourish. As a whole, Control features songs that both speak to the bands strengths and also grow into new directions, all while remaining pleasantly grounded in Milo's forward-minded identity.
In further understand the some of the motivations behind Control, Milo Greene curated an exclusive Spotify Playlist, featuring songs that were listened to through the writing process of the new album.
We were also able to catch up with Milo Greene to ask a few questions around both the release of the album and other topics:
EARMILK INTERVIEW: Milo Greene
EARMILK: After the release of a widely popular debut album, what was your mindset going into writing Control?
Milo Greene: We wanted to do something different, something that inspired us at that moment. We worked a lot with drums, and percussion movement as the entry point for the Control sessions. We would layer melodies, and rhythmic vocals over grooves to get ideas flowing.
EM: Knowing that Milo Greene writes and records in a collective way, was there a specific unified theme behind the new album?
MG: Los Angeles. We made our record in LA, the feel and energy of how we interpret the city is very present throughout the album.
EM: What was the band listening to when writing and recording Control?
MG: We all have our personal tastes which are very different from one another but we came together on albums that had strong tones, melodies and grooves. Nine Inch Nails, David Bowie, SWV…
EM: How have your broad musical tastes evolved as a band from recording your first album up until now?
MG: With each experience we grow as people and since we're constantly consuming different cultured and exposed to new ideas our tastes expand.
EM: Having toured all over the world, what would you say was the most memorable concert and why?
MG: Outside Lands in San Francisco was a very special moment in time. Beautiful day, wonderful city, great time slot. The cities musical spirit was definitely on our side for that festival.
Milo Greene have only just scratched the surface of the long road that is surely ahead. If given the opportunity, check out Milo at one of their upcoming tour dates throughout the United States.
March 18-22 – SXSW Various
April 21 – Atlanta, GA @ Vinyl
April 22 – Asheville, NC @ The Mothlight
May 9 – Reno, NV @ Grand Sierra Silver State Pavilion*
May 10 – Boise, ID @ Revolution Center*
May 12 – Salt Lake City, UT @ The Complex*
May 13 – Denver, CO @ Fillmore Auditorium*
May 15 – Thackerville, OK @WinStar World Casino*
May 16 – Austin, TX @ Austin Music Hall*
* Dates with Foster The People
Milo Greene
Control
- Elektra/Chop Shop Records
- 01-23-2015
