Q&A: Milky Chance Releases New Record ‘Living In A Haze’ and Reflects on the Past Decade
A DECADE SINCE THEIR DEBUT ALBUM — German duo Milky Chance released their sixth studio album, Living In A Haze, on June 9.
With an eclectic blend of influences, from Bob Marley to Sublime, Living In A Haze displays Milky Chance’s range of musicality and emotion.
The record opens with lead single “Living In A Haze,” providing a pop-heavy feel to the start of the album. Songs throughout include features by Malian musician Fatoumata Diawara and Canadian singer-songwriter Charlotte Cardin.
In the midst of their biggest-ever North American tour, Milky Chance took the time to chat with us about the new record and some of the people behind it. Read the interview below.
LUNA: Looking back at the 10 years since your debut album, Sadnecessary, was released, what would you say has been your biggest area of growth as a duo?
MILKY CHANCE: Well, I think that we grew into a four-piece band that is able to translate the music we create in the studio to the stage just as good and energetic. That was definitely the biggest task, but very important, and that feels like a great growth.
LUNA: After “Stolen Dance” had such sudden popularity, how did you get yourselves in the headspace to work on new music without comparing successes?
MILKY CHANCE: I guess in that case our suppression mechanisms are something very positive (laughs). It never felt hard because the desire to grow and create something new and learn is what we desire.
LUNA: Do you have any practices that help to find your sound as a band? What’s so special about the way you work together creatively?
MILKY CHANCE: We work very intuitively and just trust the process and our taste. It definitely helps to start sessions or ideas in different ways, with different instruments and environments, yet we also just have a very non-verbal understanding for each other, and [we] trust the strengths we individually bring.
LUNA: This new album, Living In A Haze, includes a few gorgeous features, one by Charlotte Cardin on “History Of Yesterday.” What was it like working with her on that?
MILKY CHANCE: It was genuinely fun, and very easy and light. She is an incredibly talented singer and songwriter, and we really enjoyed being in the studio together and learning from her … She is a super sweet and kind person to be around.
LUNA: The other artist featured on Living In A Haze is Malian musician Fatoumata Diawara. It’s so cool to hear the blend of languages in “Flicker In The Dark.” How did the writing process differ with this song?
MILKY CHANCE: We actually didn’t manage to be in a room together, yet it felt very close to work on that song together, and we enjoyed it just as much sending ideas back and forth. She is an amazing musician and singer, and having her colorful vibe on the song makes it very special.
LUNA: Fatoumata Diawara is also an incredible guitarist. Did she contribute guitar to this song as well?
MILKY CHANCE: Indeed she [did], but we mainly worked with her vocals on that track.
LUNA: Did you have any song(s) on Living In A Haze that you were most excited for people to hear when it was released?
MILKY CHANCE: Not really. It is the whole piece that we created over a long time … [It] makes us incredibly happy and thankful to share and have it as a very important witness of the current time we experience, and it represents us in a way we feel most confident as a band [and as] artists.
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