An interview with Mien a year after

Mien is a four-piece band, with a name that came in a dream of one of them. But they're just not any other four-piece band. They are the gathering of four minds, voices and skills somewhat known across the globe; Alex Maas ( Black Angels), Rishi Dhir ( Elephant Stone), Tom Furse ( The Horrors ) and John-Mark Lapham ( The Earlies ). To have these four creating something together is more than an argument to go and check it out, with  100% certainty that whatever they did is worth being listened.

Today marks a year since the release of the album Mien, from which Bad Habit was the first single released a couple of months before. 

It's an album that enclosures a bit of everything we could expect from Mien, Bad Habits is a very good example of that statement, but at the same time is surprisingly fresh and renewed in songs like Hocus Pocus or even I'm Tired ( Western Shouting ), an original song from Pete International Airport.  in this journey they brought themselves much closer to another sonoritys, mixing all the accentuated 60's references and bringing them all to the 21st century. But I was really curious about how all this happened, and they were kind enough to enlight me a bit more with this interview which I now share, and for what I'm grateful. 

MIEN are: Alex Maas (vocals, samples, loops), Tom Furse (keyboards, programming), Rishi Dhir (bass, sitar, keyboards) and John-Mark Lapham (keyboards, samples, programming).

Songs to Nowhere -  Could you introduce to our readers the concept of MIEN?

Alex Maas -  This is collective of music lovers/composers who where brought together by Rishi Dhir the Ravi Shankar of Montreal.  We trade ideas and concepts virtually through email exchanges from where ever we are at the moment. 

STN- What inspired you to make music together?

ALEX -  There is a general concept of what all turns us on sonically that was discovered after we started sharing ideas. This kind of unspoken vision is something we all believe in.

STN - Some people have been saying that MIEN is a supergroup, but on your site, I read that you somehow reject that idea. Why?

John-Mark Lapham -  To me personally, a “supergroup” sounds like a novelty, something you just muck around in when you have free time away from your “main group.”I think we all take MIEN very seriously and treat it as vital and important as anything else we take part in, and to that extent, should be perceived as a standalone entity. So much of music and the way people consume it today seems very disposable, so it seems worth making it clear that this is something that is meaningful to us and not just a lark.

Mien - Black Habit

STN - I read that you recorded the album without meeting to play ou rehearse.Was it a new experience or is it something you're used to it?

JM -  I’ve never recorded an album with a band when we were all in the same space. Since I began this journey, I’ve always sent and been sent parts and worked in my own space.Sometimes it can be limiting, but for me it makes sense and more often than not works best in terms of what I bring to the table.
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STN - Where did you get the name MIEN? 

JM -  If I remember correctly, it came to Alex in a dream. It was something that involved him peeling off wallpaper and the letters being revealed. It happened right around the time we first started talking, but before we ever knew we were going to be a band, so it seemed fated somehow.



STN – Knowing what the members of MIEN already have done, it’s fair to say that any of this is new to you. But at the same time, listening to the álbum it seems this is a whole new experience and you focused on things you weren’t doing at this point, such as a bigger focus on electronic and samples. Was it unexpected for you how the álbum turned out?

JM -  I can’t speak for the others, but I’m pretty sure this is the sort of album we were all imagining ever since we heard the beginnings of our first couple of tracks, Black Habit and Ropes, respectively. When I heard what we all could do, especially what disguises and characters Alex’s voice could inhabit, it really opened many doors of possibility. 


STN - Listening to the álbum and reflecting on the lyrics I felt they are dense and meaningful, but somehow show some disappointment to where mankind is heading to. 

Alex -  We agree with you 


STN - (I’m tired of) Western Shouting is an original song from Pete International Airport were Alex Mass is in. Why did you choose this song to be in MIEN’s álbum?

MIEN performs "Earth Moon" in KUTX Studio 1A.

Rishi - Alex and I both worked on this song with Pete. We all really loved the track and wanted to see how MIEN could reinvent the track, with Pete's blessing of course. I think versions are great and present a different take on the tune.

STN - You played Levitation a few days ago, and already have a few show schedule for Europe. Can we expect a concert in Portugal?

ALEX - We would love to play Portugal, we are just waiting for the call and we will be there.

STN - How has your music evolved since you first began this idea of making music together?

Rishi - When we started the project, we didn't really have a clear idea of what MIEN would sound like. We just knew that by bringing each our ideas and aesthetics to the table, we would have something new and powerful. 

Mien - (I'm tired of )Western Shouting

STN – Have you ever thought of doing a show where all your bands would play? 

ALEX - Yes we have tossed the idea around! Would love to see that happen!

STN – Who are your major influences?

JM - I’m a somewhat old school electronic/industrial fan, so my influences range from Cabaret Voltaire, Ike Yard, DAF and Conny Plank’s many varied productions.


STN - What about new bands you recently discovered?

JM - These days I listen to a lot of what I imagine many would call “boring ambient music”, like Stars of the Lid, Kyle Bobby Dunn, Wayne Robert Thomas, The New Honey Shade, along with modern classicalLike Jóhann Jóhannsson and Max Richter.

STN - I know this record took quite some time to be made, but now you opened Pandora’s Box, can we expect another one soon? 

Alex - We are currently writing so I imagine there will be another record. I imagine it will happen as the first one did, with patience.



Bandcamp - mien.bandcamp.com
Official Site - mienband
Facebook - facebook.com/MMMIIIEEENNN/