A year after his debut on Atomnation, Milio unveils his exceptional first album Nachtzon. Due for release on October 8th, the 12-track album showcases the Dutchman's flair for escapist melodic sounds.
Emiel van den Dungen started this solo alias in 2020 after previous success as part of the Tunnelvisions duo. But he has ways been a skilled pianist from a musical family, which explains why his well-crafted, emotive melodies always make such an indelible mark. He has a love of beautiful voicings, coloring, melody and harmonies. Personal relationships and close friendships also instill his music with a sense of fun and honest connection and he is someone who spends hours honing his craft, practicing theory and growing ever more conformable with his array of both vintage and modern synths, pianos, guitars and drums. All of this translates to this debut album, which is an expansive affair stuffed with gorgeous grooves and real musicality.
Opener 'Touching The Sky' has mellifluous modulations and rippling chords that immediately take you to a celestial world. The previously released single 'Ave' is perfect cosmic house, while 'Turn It Around' slows things down to a starry-eyed broken beat awash in heavenly harmony. Milio then links with Mulo for 'Marble,' an eight-minute epic that gets you in a summery trance with its bubbly bass and crystalline leads. 'FOMO' builds slowly but surely to become a pulsing acid that lifts you off your feet and the second single 'Allround Player' features vocalist Sjengsen delivering a forlorn vocal hook over a light but choppy house beat.
The heartbreaking 'Vibrations' resets the mood with nearly four minutes of sombre and introspective piano, then the third single 'Goenavund' is all about lush twinkling ambient pads and deep, mid-tempo drums. The title track is prickly, with bright and textured leads, dusty breakbeats and hypnotic dynamics before, and 'The One And Only' is pumping house with a wonky groove and unhinged chords that bring a freaky kind of energy. 'PS 30' is another uplifting electronic sound with retro 80s chords dousing you in nostalgia and the whole record draws to an electric close with 'Running' which drowns you in melody, rich strings and the tender vocals of Ilona Weiss.
Nachtzon is a widescreen record that proudly wears its heart on its sleeve.
