mildlife

When Mildlife’s debut album, ‘Phase’, was released in 2018 it didn’t 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. By the end of the year they’d scored a nomination for Best Album at the Worldwide FM Awards (Worldwide’s Gilles Peterson was a notable champion) and Best Electronic Act at Music Victoria Awards back home in Melbourne. Their progress post-Phase was cemented with a UK deal with Jeff Barrett’s Heavenly, who released How Long Does It Take? replete with Cosmic doyen Baldelli and Dionigi remixes, while also being officially anointed by DJ Harvey when he included The Magnificent Moon on his Pikes compilation Mercury Rising Vol II.

Mildlife’s Sophomore album ‘Automatic’ was released mid-covid in 2020 and heralded a step-change from their debut. It’s 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 album entered the overall ARIA charts at number 8, and went on the win their first of 3 ARIA Awards for Best Jazz album. Unable to tour on the back of the album due to the pandemic, Mildlife travelled by boat to a long abandoned 19th century island fort to perform for fairy penguins and abalone poachers. The result is Live from South Channel Island, a 70 minute motion picture and live album where the band masterfully recreate the magic of their live shows, framed by the gorgeous Port Phillip Bay.

For the past 4 years Mildlife has not stopped touring, with shows on 5 continents that always demonstrate a riotously loose-limbed approach that is as every bit as thrilling as their albums tantalising promise, wearing their influences lightly, whilst still sounding precisely like Mildlife.

2024’s ‘Chorus’ is Mildlife’s most optimistic record, serving as a sonic testament to the band's unwavering adoration for the beguiling realms of 70s psychedelic and cosmic sounds. Delve deeper, and you'll unearth Polish jazz, Italo disco and a sprinkling of contemporary electronic sounds. Chorus is the dance of an expanding and contracting universe – its groove is forever and always, cyclical and evolving. Whilst recording, the band referred to the project as “their unified theory of groove”, and heavily focused on their internal relationships with each other and how they have evolved over the previous 7 years together.

AGENT
James Ware: james@watartists.com