All That We Could Know

Mildlife “The Magnificent Moon”

“The Magnificent Moon” starts off feeling a lot like the more expansive Hot Chip songs – groovy but chill, in the sweet spot between relaxed and precise. But as the song moves along, Mildlife start throwing some curveballs at you – it seems to expand in scope, the bass groove gets more sophisticated, it starts drifting into a groggy solo section. Then around five minutes in, you get the ~real~ shift as the the synths recede and the jazzy guitar chords come in, like something out of Dots and Loops-era Stereolab. I love the particular guitar tone here – so immaculate and understated, this elegant and sexy sound contrasted with synth tones that signals futuristic kitsch. The whole track is built like a journey, and that odd collision of vibes is the highlight of the expedition.

Buy it from Bandcamp.