When "Gold" by L.A. based post punk alt rockers MIHI NIHL begins with it's slapping drums, piercing guitar sustain and deep bass it feels like a demon's lair has opened, maybe that place is deep in a southern swamp because there is a dark blues texture full of grit. It feels like a Gothic dark fable about to be told but there is light shining down too. That light comes in the form of Mihi Vox's vocal aesthetic that despite the rock edge is lush. Don't get me wrong, Vox has a full bodied wail but the inner awareness and control of her instrument is utterly felt. This vocal gravitas adds to the dark brooding atmosphere in the same way that Pat Benatar's (for example) strong rebel yell added to their formidable pop rock sound. MIHI NIHIL with Vox (on vox), Benjamin Montoya (guitar), Nick Steinberg (bass) and Adam Alt (drums) is cooking on all burners. The self assured artistry on display add to the cinematic tones.
["Gold" is the leading track off our debut album. It is a dark country tale about forgiveness from beyond the grave. Like all our songs, it was written and recorded in one room together. - MIHI NIHIL]
The band just dropped their debut self titled full length "MIHI NIHIL" (on April 15th, 2021).
-Robb Donker Curtius
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***Out April 15th, 2021, MIHI NIHIL's eponymous debut album touts a hypnotic, melodic sound steeped in atmospheric post-punk and rock. While segments of the album have been featured in major motion pictures and in four videos for each of the album’s pre-release singles, the band is now revealing the album in full. PRE ORDER [A limited number of vinyl will be available later in the spring].
RIYL: early Radiohead, The Clash, Ennio Morricone, The Savages, Bauhaus, Phantogram, The Pixies. Mazzy Star, The Cure, early Sonic Youth.
THE BAND
MIHI NIHIL (mee-kee nee-keel) is an emerging band from Los Angeles, comprising Mihi Vox (vocal), Benjamin Montoya (guitar), Nick Steinberg (bass) and Adam Alt (drums). Mihi, a former New York City Opera singer, is backed by three self-taught rockers.
Casually, through years of friendship and free-flow sessions the group calls “Whiskey Rehearsals,” MIHI NIHIL was realized and the anatomy of the album was built. They quickly understood how perfect this imperfect pairing of three alternative musicians and a classical singer would be. The record, written and performed together by the quartet in one room, fully encompasses their collaborative essence.
Delivering a sound rooted in post-punk, MIHI NIHIL pulls from a kaleidoscope of influences, including early Radiohead, The Clash, Ennio Morricone, Siouxsie and the Banshees, Bauhaus, Neal Young, The Cure and The Pixies. Mihi’s captivating vocals flow seamlessly from serene unfolding to anthemic power, gliding alongside the tectonic pull of Benjamin’s guitar, while Nick and Adam drive the bass and drums with commanding fervor. Together, the four-piece have crafted a nine-song debut grounded in earthiness and redolent with nostalgia.
The name Mihi Nihil (Mee-Kee Nee-Keel) sounds like a University’s Latin motto, but it was actually the lead singer, Mihi Vox’s, nickname in college. Now a band motto, the name represents the groups approach to life and music as they write songs together, staying open not only to each other but also to the music.
THE ALBUM
Veteran indie producer Adam Lasus (Yo La Tengo, Helium, Madder Rose) captured the band's live energy to tape, revealing an album imbued with a timeless, lush and layered sound that’s meant to be savored and slowly ingested. Like colorful rock formations, the music encompasses a myriad of subtle tints and bold textures. Recorded without a click track, MIHI NIHIL naturally expands and contracts, pushes and pulls, moving with ease. Whether it’s the cinematic echo of Ennio Morricone in “Verberation” or the ominous yearning for connection in the more soporific electro “Space Invader,” MIHI NIHIL shifts tonal presentations effortlessly with maximum emotional thrust.
Leading up to their self-titled LP, the foursome has steadily fed four singles over the prior months. Garnering positive attention along the way, they landed tracks in two recent major motion pictures, on several media outlets in fifteen countries and in fifty-four playlists. From the playful punk burst of “I Eat You,” which feels like it could have been recorded in 1977, to the dark wistful waltz of “Falling Star” swaying with a 1950s soul, MIHI NIHIL bridge the past and present musical zeitgeists. Their music feels at once mysterious and familiar, as a fog curling heavily around the listener only to be cut through by rays from the sun.
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