MIEN
MIIEN
Fuzz Club Records [2025]
“A slow-burn psych journey that trades hooks for hypnosis—and wins.”
Album Overview: MIEN was born out of transcontinental friendships between musicians deeply rooted in modern psych music. The core lineup features Alex Maas of The Black Angels, Rishi Dhir of Elephant Stone, John Mark Lapham from The Earlies, and drummer Robb Kidd of Golden Dawn Arkestra. Though the idea first surfaced after a 2004 SXSW meetup, the band didn’t fully come together until years later. With backgrounds in heavy psych rock, Eastern-influenced pop, and experimental electronics, the group blends their influences into something distinctly collaborative. Their second album, MIIEN, marks a clear shift from the more concise structures of their debut toward a looser, more atmospheric sound. Developed across Austin, Abilene, and Montreal through remote file exchanges and a few in-person sessions, the record thrives on mood, texture, and a collective sense of momentum. Rather than a direct sequel, MIIEN feels like a thoughtful reinvention—more expansive and patient in its design.
Musical Style: MIIEN leans into hypnotic grooves, textured electronics, and rhythmic layering. Acoustic and electric instruments weave together, supported by clarinet, field recordings, and minimal percussion. The album doesn’t follow traditional song structures; instead, it builds immersive environments with repeated motifs and shadowy melodies. While grounded in rhythm, many tracks drift into dreamlike territory. This isn’t music that demands attention—it rewards those willing to sit with it. Each spin reveals new sonic details, making the album more addictive over time.
Evolution of Sound: Compared to their 2018 self-titled debut, MIIEN ventures further into exploratory terrain. Where the first record leaned on repetition and sharp-edged psych, this one trades urgency for nuance and space. Tom Furse’s earlier influence remains, but the addition of Thor Harris brings fresh layers—unexpected textures that reshape the band’s sonic identity. The shift moves them from industrial-tinged psychedelia toward something more fluid and ambient, like a living, evolving sound collage.
Artists with Similar Fire: It is easy to assume that if you like The Black Angels and Elephant Stone then this record has familiar touchpoints, but MIIEN also draws from artists like Broadcast, Spacemen 3, and later-era Talk Talk. There are rhythmic echoes of Can and the atmospheric layering of early Massive Attack. If you’re into music that favors immersion over immediacy, MIIEN fits comfortably into that orbit.
Pivotal Tracks: “Silent Golden” is a standout, both for its evolution—from an idea by Tom Furse to a finished piece with contributions from Thor Harris—and for how it captures the band’s method: transforming fragments into something whole. It slowly builds, anchored by Maas’s restrained vocals and a haunting clarinet line. “Empty Sun,” born from a loop and a wordless melody, was reshaped by John Mark Lapham’s careful arrangement, Robb Kidd’s intricate drumming, and warped guitar layers from Rishi Dhir and Elephant Stone’s Robbie. “Evil People,” the album opener, started as a 2015 collaboration between Maas and Danish musician Trentemøller. Revived during a rare in-person session at SXSW 2022, it sets the tone with brooding energy and tightly locked interplay—a snapshot of MIEN at their most unified.
Lyrical Strength: Rather than telling stories, MIIEN uses lyrics as emotional signals. Maas’s voice feels more like another instrument, with phrases that drift, repeat, and blur into the mix. The themes suggest uncertainty, transition, and tension, but without spelling anything out. That ambiguity adds to the album’s immersive pull, allowing listeners to find their own meanings.
Final Groove: MIIEN is a moody, layered follow-up that pushes MIEN’s sound in bold new directions. It trades immediacy for depth, and repetition for atmosphere, emerging as a slow-burn record best experienced on headphones or in solitude. While it may challenge those looking for straightforward hooks, its richness lies in the details. For a band born out of distance, MIIEN manages to sound surprisingly connected. And with this kind of creative chemistry, it’s exciting to imagine where they’ll go next.
MIEN LINKS
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