The second album from Mild Horses, "Return To Dust" picks up where ignorance to enlightenment and back again left off and delivers more. It's more widescreen, more psychedelic, heftier, yet more succinct. These songs were all recorded in a reflective mood of "what if this is the last statement that I ever get to make" melancholy and are imbued with the sort of confidence, playfulness, and experimentation that come with realizing that the only expectation that needs to be met is the artist's own and that the path you choose to follow is always the right path. The first single from the album is The Work, a brief dream pop/electronica treatise on the division of labor in pop groups, quite possibly in some way inspired by the writer’s own previous experiences in a host of striving bands.
By Kamil Bobin
Discovered via Musosoup
Hello Mild Horses. What strengths do you have that you believe make you a great musician?
Tenacity and a unshakeable desire to create art despite, or maybe because of, a lack of interest from the music buying public at large.
Who inspired you to make music?
I was inspired by artists who take chances and follow their own compass, even when it sometimes doesn't chime with what the rest of the world is doing. I always think of David Bowie and Neil Young in this bracket, I've always found them pretty inspirational.
Your latest release is 'Return To Dust'. Can you share with us the background of its creation and did any unusual things happen during its creation?
This is the second Mild Horses album and I wanted to build on what I thought was good about the first one (which is called Ignorance To Enlightenment And Back Again if you want to seek that out too!) and explore some new avenues.
It was recorded in the spaces between having a full time job and family, so the most extraordinary thing about it is that it got made at all!
Can you shortly describe each of the tracks that are on the album?
Okay, here goes....
1. The Work. A short treatise on the division of labour in musical groups. I'd been listening to a lot of Animal Collective when I wrote this. I think it shows.
2. Return To Dust. About death and karmic retribution. Boces era Mercury Rev was leaned on quite hard here. Fun fact - this is the first song I've ever played jaw harp on.
3. Mid Morning Cowboy #3. The latest installment in the instrumental Mid Morning Cowboy sequence of songs. So called as mid morning is when I do most of my recording, just as the second coffee of the day is kicking in.
4. Peloton Doomscroll. About tech and it's ubiquity and whether unthinking acceptance of whatever new shiny thing is being pushed on us is really a good thing. I'd like to point out I'm not a luddite by the way, I mean I am writing this on a computer after all.
5. Tapes & Tapes. About having a long car journey with someone you're no longer sure you want to have long car journeys with. Late Blur has been mentioned as a touchpoint and I'm not going to deny it.
6. Summerland. About a fire in a holiday resort. Once again the ghost of early Mercury Rev stalks the halls.
7. Darkness Crept In. This is a bit of a curveball. Probably the song that has come together quickest out of anything I've ever written. I think the whole thing was written in about 30 minutes, which is not normal for me.
8. The Only One Left. Another death song, but also a life song. Once again early Mercury Rev lurk in the background, this time the Flaming Lips and Grandaddy are fellow lurkers.
9. The Evolution Of The Arm. No words, just action. In this case Rock Action era Mogwai and is that title a Twin Peaks nod? You betcha.
10. Cheers, Bye. Another death song. It has a bit of a Sparklehorse-y feel.
How do you stay up-to-date with the latest musical trends?
I listen to BBC 6Music a lot as people of a certain vintage such as myself tend to and try and keep my ears open as much as possible.
What do you feel is the best song that you have ever released and why?
I've put out a lot of songs over the years and I guess I'm like a lot of artists where I'm most enthused by the newest thing I've done. At the moment I'm thinking Summerland on the new record is up there.
Why do you want to record and release your own music?
I've put records out on labels before which has it's obvious benefits in that you're able to extend the reach of the music, but I've found that putting out my own stuff has it's own plus points. It means I can work to my own deadlines and it's great to be able to reach an audience directly, also I've found that it's more lucrative!
Please discuss how you interact with and respond to fans.
I try to respond to anyone who gets in touch. In terms of social media I only really have Twitter and I tend to use it more for broadcasting than interaction (although I do interact a little).
What advice would you have for someone wanting to follow in your footsteps?
Be patient, make music for the love of it and don't worry too much about chasing an audience.
What are your plans for the future?
I'm having a small self-enforced break before I start writing again, but I reckon I'll be back at it again soon. I haven't decided whether to release another album (which would mean there is a trilogy of albums which is quite aesthetically pleasing) or to start to release songs as one-offs, which I've noticed a lot of people have started to do a lot more. I'll end up doing whatever feels right.