beneath us, the waves is Warsaw-based, Scottish musician and composer, Neil Milton. Regular readers might recognise the name, as he is also one half of We Sink Ships who get fairly regular plugs round here due to me being a huge fan of their work, and I've nodded at his DJing before too, not to mention the occasional mention of Too Many Fireworks, Neil's record label. He's a busy man, is our Mr. Milton.
As mentioned, Neil is currently based in Warsaw, but he's heading back to Scotland soon for some gigs, so now is as good a time as any to get round to writing about the music he makes, instead of all the other stuff.
beneath us, the waves make music that is, and since I can't describe it any better myself I'll use Neil's own words, glacial, minimalist and classical. Since "classical" is usually a description that normally would have me either scurrying for cover or staring blankly in confusion I'll add another - accessible. Neil may not be classically trained, but he makes modern classical music, yet so accessible that even someone like me can listen to it without being frightened off. There's a lot of ambiance and soundscapes going on in the music, while with influences like Sigur rós, Jónsi & Alex, Ólafur Arnalds there's a very Icelandic feel at times.
beneath us, the waves make music that is, and since I can't describe it any better myself I'll use Neil's own words, glacial, minimalist and classical. Since "classical" is usually a description that normally would have me either scurrying for cover or staring blankly in confusion I'll add another - accessible. Neil may not be classically trained, but he makes modern classical music, yet so accessible that even someone like me can listen to it without being frightened off. There's a lot of ambiance and soundscapes going on in the music, while with influences like Sigur rós, Jónsi & Alex, Ólafur Arnalds there's a very Icelandic feel at times.
Using acoustic instruments and samples of acoustic instruments alongside field recordings and found sounds instead of synthesis, Neil makes beautiful, organic, atmospheric music. Simple melodies and gorgeous compositions grab the attention and never give your mind a chance to wander. While Neil is back in Scotland he has a few live dates lined up, do try and catch one.
Beneath us, the waves are playing the Liquid Ship in Glasgow on the 1st April and at Stereo in Glasgow on the 12th April,as well as a couple of dates in Edinburgh. Check out one of the links above for more details.
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