"Can we turn the lights down?" Mike Milosh asked. He sat in The Current's studio, surrounded by gear, mic stands, and two of his band members. As the lights dimmed, he relaxed: "That's a much better vibe."

Low lighting is something you might have come to associate with Milosh's band Rhye — if not through seeing them onstage, then at least through their muted, sensual music. Milosh's soft voice coos, whispers, and trembles on new album Blood as it did on their 2013 debut, Woman. Hushed instruments sound nimble yet unhurried in their support.

Rhye's quietude prompted an interesting conversation between Milosh and Mac Wilson. Wilson compared the band's sound to a particular Radiohead song from Kid A, explaining that he sensed some anxiety in the music, while another host called it "chill." Where did Milosh see Rhye on the chill/tense spectrum? "I've had a lot of thought about that, and questions," Milosh replied. "On a tempo level, I record things at a little bit slower level than what's going on in pop right now. [But] I don't view this as chill music, because [that] feels like it's a Buddha Bar, loungey thing. I like the idea of introspection; melancholy; something that's cathartic; something that makes you move through your own emotions as you're listening to this music."

Rhye's subtlety — that space for nuance allowed by soft voices and reserved instruments — is powerful indeed. It's not hard to imagine Fred Armisen giving these tunes the Portlandia treatment, whispering into a microphone with bugged eyes and rigid posture. But that doesn't change the fact that this music fosters intimacy. At last night's show, Milosh says, "I actually had this guy just sitting on the stage in front of me last night. He was just closing his eyes."

While Rhye numbered six at their Fine Line show last night, Milosh brought a smaller band to The Current. Pat Bailey handled bass, and Theresa Romack (aka DANiiVORY) played the Steinway and Rhodes pianos.

To hear the full interview and performance, use the audio player above.

Songs Performed

"Please"
"Softly"
"Song For You"

All songs are from Rhye's 2018 album, Blood, available via Loma Vista Recordings.

Hosted by Mac Wilson
Produced by Anna Reed
Engineered by Michael DeMark
Images courtesy of Pierre Ware
Web feature by Cecilia Johnson

Resources

Rhye (official site)

Gallery

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