Review: Hear & Now - Milvus [Claremont 56] (2021)

With their third album on Claremont 56, I think I’ve finally become a fan of this chillout project. Milvus was released during my summer vacation in the Cyclades, and I didn’t hear it until I returned to California, but it’s become the post facto soundtrack of that trip.

The consistent, expert production and mild melodrama are carried over from their previous releases, but this time around things feel a bit deeper. Musical ideas are better defined, blending the balearic haze of earlier efforts with approachable pop references. It's blatant on the reggae-inflected Coccobello, though my favorite track is the low-bpm deep house crossover Baiadriatica, which has been gettting repeat plays during my drives around LA.

https://claremont56.bandcamp.com/album/milvus

https://www.discogs.com/Hear-Now-Milvus/master/2253955