Review: Steve Miller has been serving up Ibiza-inspired downtempo, chill out and Balearic tracks since the mid 1990s, so you'd expect his new album - titled 'Modern Balearic' in a nod to its contents - to be assured, atmospheric and expertly crafted. He begins via the densely layered ambient dub psychedelia of 'Rubadub', before drifting between stretched-out classic chill-out soundscapes ('Kya'), extra-percussive shroom-house ('Hallucinomat'), dubby nu-disco ('Sugarfoot', the bubbly beauty of 'Natural Causes'), saucer-eyed sunrise deepness ('Tiger Child', 'Bufo'), low-slung deep house haziness ('All I Wanted'), breakbeat-driven Balearic nu-jazz (the sub-heavy excellence of 'One Fine Day'), and acid-flecked, trance-inducing dancefloor bliss ('Big Ship').
Review: Long-time Ibiza resident Steve Miller has been making sparkling, White Isle-inspired music - especially languid chill-out and Balearic fare - since the mid 1990s, though his productivity has naturally cooled a little in recent years. There's much to admire on his second Afterlife EP of 2022, from the sustained synth-strings, electronic marimba melodies, ultra-dreamy chords and tactile digi-dub grooves of title track 'Mother Nature Land', to the slow-motion, sunrise-ready ambient dub brilliant of 'Ibango Dub', a collaboration with fellow Ibiza resident Ken Fan. Sandwiched in between you'll find a glistening, afternoon-ready deep house mix of 'Rising Up' courtesy of pal James Bright, and the immersive textures, bubbly TB-303 acid lines and organic beats of 'Unity Gain'.
Review: Steve Miller's Subatomic label returns this week with a new one by the label chief under his Afterlife alias. The result is the deeply hypnotic tribal house of "Mahalo" which will entrance you from the first beat. Also included is the nu-disco journey "Sundrops" awash in a rich tapestry of sublime melodies, as well as the dramatic atmosphere of "Liberty Cap" underpinned by chilled, swing-infused beats, and closing it out with the poolside bliss of "Morning Dub" - the perfect sound of balearica served best before sunset.
Review: A veteran of the balearic scene, Steve Miller brought his Afterlife project to life in 1995 with a self-titled debut album. He is is back on his very own Subatomic label here with the deep sundown groove of "Rising Up", then things get slo-mo (and low slung) on the smooth heater "Casual Bungalow", while the rather evocative "Medicine Man" will mesmerise you with its celestial atmospherics. Plus, there's one more glimpse of the sunset, pina colada in hand, on the emotional closer "Way Out West".
We use cookies to personalise content and ads, to provide social media features and to analyse our traffic. We also share information about your use of our site with our social media, advertising and analytics partners who may combine it with other information that you've provided to them or that they've collected from your use of their services.