After a long, arduous week, I often find myself slipping into a neat glass of whiskey, winding down with a choice selection of tunes. Sometimes the atmosphere lends itself to the dreary nature of the preceding days, which, coincidentally, seems to bring me up and out of my work-induced haze.
Among the usual cast — Nick Drake, Pink Floyd, Elliot Smith — there are always a spattering of up and coming acts, and Sleep Millennium is one of them. If you’re not quite up to speed with this Portland-based five-piece, don’t panic. You’ll be well acquainted after today.
“Machines” is the latest offering from Josh Schroeder (vocals, guitar), Miranda Vettrus (synth, guitar, vocals), Ronan Baker (guitar, vocals), Jarred Venti (bass, vocals) and Joshua Hawkins (drums, vocals). As expected, this offering is absolutely gorgeous; a well-thought out and well-produced gem through and through.
With crackling atmospheric noise and dancing keys setting the tone at the get-go, “Machine” subtly comes out of a deep slumber. Soft, acoustic strumming and Josh’s enveloping vocals are warm and familiar, however, the addition of sparingly-used, piercing, electric guitar riffs particularly grabbed a hold of me. In fact, I couldn’t help but notice the nod to Pink Floyd here, whether it was intentional or subconscious.
If you’re digging “Machines,” make sure to tune in for the rest of the debut full album, which officially releases in April of 2018.
