milieu - songs we found in the sand

Despite a multitude of releases already out on labels such as u-cover and experimedia, Songs We Found In The Sand was the second full album produced by Milieu. After meeting through a chance encounter in the magical land of the internet, he offered the release to us with the warning, "i know it sounds a little dated, i'll understand if you don't want it, seriously."

Luckily, here at Rope Swing Cities we're more concerned with the quality of music then worrying if our artists are cutting themselves on the bleeding edge electronic music. What we discovered upon listening, is a wonderfully moving, emotional album, filled with simple, enchanting drum patterns and haunting synth lines. Needless to say, we enthusiastically told him that we'd love to release it.

As we spoke further with Milieu regarding the music on this release, an interesting fact about his production work came out that answered some questions we had about the sound of his music: initially all of his samples, keyboards, guitar and drums are recorded to tape and then transferred to the computer for arranging and looping. After the track is built it's sent back to tape, then to the computer again for final mastering. This incorporation of such a loved analog medium helped explain to us the warmth and depth of sound found in this release. In his own words, "I still think it sounds better on cassette though."

On this album, Milieu's music brings up intense feelings of nostalgia. The beauty of it, is that it doesn't attempt to guide your inner exploration. Whether you're reminded of fond memories from childhood; running through sprinklers, basking in the warmth of the sun. Or if you're looking at your past for closure on the darker moments that have plagued you for some time, Songs We Found In The Sand is the perfect accompaniment on your journeys.

More information about Milieu can be found here.