Released: March 1, 2024

Genre: Jazz-fusion

From: Australia

Label: Heavenly Recordings

Why you should listen: Melbourne-based jazz-fusion band Mildlife have been at the forefront of some of the most exciting music coming out of the city for a while now. The group, consisting of Adam Halliwell, Kevin McDowell, Jim Rindfleish and Tom Shanahan, have released a phenomenal new album titled Chorus, with 7 tracks of pure jazzy and funky bliss. It’s a truly immersive project, with compositions that are groovy, funky and expansive, with psychedelic and disco elements that make it a project to move and dance to. “Forever”, with its smooth guitar leads and dynamic percussion & drumming, sets the tone for the album, with a psychedelic energy that is mesmerising throughout. The playful and colourful compositions on “Yourself” are smooth and beautiful, with reflective and introspective lyricism that makes it a real joy to listen to. The infectious guitar leads on “Sunrise” makes this a hypnotic, beautiful track, with a smooth, subdued and groovy energy to it. The high-paced energy of “Musica” has an Italo-disco energy to it, with its guitar leads, vibrant synth melodies and hypnotic vocals. It’s an entrancing and stunning track that is one of the highlights on the album for me. “Chorus” is an incredible track, with a slow, meditative buildup and a mystical, cosmic energy to it that is just incredible throughout its 9-minute runtime. “Future Life”, with its light and melodic synth leads, groovy guitars and rhythmic drumming makes this a a beautiful jazz-fusion track, while “Return to Centaurus” is this expansive, cosmic and groovy closer. It’s a meditative and reflective track, capturing the ethereal and cosmic nature of their music poignantly, and a perfect way to conclude this immersive listening experience. Mildlife have created a stunning body of work with Chorus, an album that sounds like it simultaneously came out in the 70s but with qualities that make it sound contemporary and futuristic.

The album: