EP Review: Miller Blue - ‘Sunflower’
Blending swathes of silky smooth R&B and infectiously groovy electronica, Miller Blue’s newest EP is sure to captivate, entrance, and capture you all at once.
There appears to be a thirst in the UK music scene these days for music that combines R&B, funk, and jazz. Think along the lines of bedroom pop with a few bluesy seven chords thrown in for good measure, and you’re halfway there. However, Miller Blue’s approach to this eclectic mix in his newest EP ‘Sunflower’ demonstrates exactly why this is a sound that appeals to so many right now. In a melding sonic hotpot that draws upon personal influences from a variety of genres, the result is the perfect backtrack for one to relax into at the end of a day. The intimacy of the sonics is complemented by Blue’s candid approach to his songwriting, as he takes you along his journey of reflecting upon his life in the six tracks that form the EP. Blue discloses, “the whole project is essentially a series of diary entries. Starting with a reflection of a breakup and moving chronologically from that point to where I am now.”
And so that’s how we find ourselves transported to quaint little European streets in opener ‘Streets of Amsterdam’. Snippets of everyday conversation, clinking cutlery and a street performer playing the accordion set the scene for this immersive introduction, which is composed of recordings taken by Blue when he visited the Dutch capital. Immediately proceeded by ‘Sunflower’, it’s a gorgeous, laid-back slow-jam that indulges in luscious vocal harmonies and a meandering bass. There’s absolutely no rush to go anywhere, and Blue makes it feel like you have all the time in the world to lose yourself in his melancholic musings.
The lax tempo does not persist for long as a swift beat kicks ‘New Love’ into action in a flurry of finger clicks and flittering hi-hat beats. The staccato vocals preceding the chorus perfectly embodies the light character of this track, although the richness of Blue’s sound is not completely discarded as succulent saxophone tones join in the playful accompaniment. Maintaining the stamina in ‘Make You Move’, there’s more tongue-in-cheek jiving as Blue flows into rap-like segments, spitting out lyrics with great haste. However, as we move into ‘Talk It Out’, Blue exhibits a completely different character, utilising searing electronic guitar lines and a myriad of instruments to bring one of the more introspective moments on the EP.
Finale ‘Us’ is a sweet wrapping-up of the collection, as warbling guitars bring in a touch of sweet nostalgia and child-like innocence. Dreamy falsetto adds an airiness, before distant vocals round off the track, almost as an afterthought and you feel like you’re slowly gaining back consciousness from a hazy daydream. And my, is the world of Miller Blue one that we would love to get lost in time and time again, as he demonstrates his wide-ranging musical talents on ‘Sunflower’ to the delight of us all. So do yourself a favour, and put this on before kicking back with a drink of your choice.
Words by Athena Kam