SANTA MONICA, CA- “It’s about love, the discovery of love, and falling back in it”. That beautifully simple declaration was the best way Mike Milosh could describe his new creation – RHYE’s recently released record “Blood” (Loma Vista, Hostess). The album overflows an intensely soulful intimacy that KCRW decided not to interrupt his performance at Apogee Studios February 6, 2018. Crooning under dimmed lights and soft velvety-red studio setting vibed perfectly with RHYE’s seductive music.
Prior to the performance, Aaron Byrd interviewed Michael and they discussed the album’s evolution and creation. Unlike his first album “Woman”, “Blood” was recorded without Robin Hannibal (Little Dragon, Cee Lo Green, Saro, Calvin Harris etc), but it still carries with it the same soulfully mature sensuality that RHYE has become known for.
“It’s the only song that addresses breaking up with someone,” Michael explains about he album’s opening track “Waste”.
“I’m trying to write from really honest places,” continued Milosh, and although it took 2 ½ years write and record, the result is music that clearly comes straight from Milosh’s heart. Much of his inspiration is derived from his love interest, Geneviève Medow Jenkins, the singer’s current girlfriend who also happens to be the cover girl of ‘Blood”. She “kindly gets naked in cold environments and allows me to shoot her,” Milosh laughs very sentimentally before sharing more details about the album with the audience.
“Blood” was recorded all over the world: Berlin, New York, Sussex and Toronto. Being a trained jazz drummer, Milosh wanted to add more live drums in order to give the music amore “live” feeling. His eyes beamed with boyish excitement as he gets into his excitement about this musical fact.
Accompanied by 6 talented fellow musicians, Mike performed a set that consisted of a mix of song from borth his debut album and his current album. His smooth vocals sugar coat the heartbreak in his lyrics, a talent that few vocalists have. The standout song of the night was probably his performance of the song “Taste”, as it was perhaps the most groovy and upbeat composition but with a vocal sexiness which not only gets stuck in your head, but also get’s your hips grooving to the beat.
RHYE finished their Apogee set with the very personal “Song For You”. “If you don’t leave crying, we kind of failed”, Mike Mishos warms the crowd up before jumping into a musical romance. RHYE recently released a music video for “Song For You” which was directed by Milosh and his girlfriend Genevieve.
Some of the lucky ones who snatched The Orpheum Theatre tickets before they sold out will catch Milosh with RHYE and maybe special appearance by Genevieve in LA on March 17th. If you can’t get tickets for the show, you can at least catch the broadcast and stream on KCRW’s Morning Becomes Eclectic on Friday, February 23rd.
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