RAINDROP

Releases His Highly Anticipated Debut Album

MILD MELTDOWNS

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The recording of Mild Meltdowns began in Autumn of 2016, when Miles Devine invited his ultimate studio band – Timothy Sneddon, Lachlan Earl and Oscar Henfrey – to his home studio to record a full length album alongside co-producer, SPOD (The Laurels, Richard in Your Mind, Straight Arrows).

For the first week the group bunkered down to write and record all the drums and bass for the record directly onto a 16 Channel Tascam Tape Machine, a machine that would be a huge part of the sound of the record. This initial tracking process was used to find the right groove and tempo for all the songs. Having a tape machine allowed this process to be much more fun. With production inspired from bands like The Beatles and The Flaming Lips, some songs were recorded at very different tempos than where they started, sometimes even with each instrument being recorded in different speeds.

After much pitch-shifting and tempo changing, Devine locked himself away to get the most crunchy, warbly guitar sounds he could with a little help from his 4 track cassette recorder and a vibrato pedal. To add to these layers, synthesisers came next, featuring mostly Mid-70s Rolands and Moogs, along with samples of mellotrons and chamberlins.

Lyrics were the next stage of the process. Devine would spend long days recording the music until the evening. Then his girlfriend, Hunter Atari, would write lyrics with him. The two would use the lyrics to overcome the ‘meltdowns’ that would occur in the life.

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“Mild Meltdowns explores the idea of being able to eventually laugh at the things that are most devastating or dramatic to us.”

– Miles Devine (Raindrop)

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After months of recording and writing, SPOD was given the controls to begin mixing. The only instruction given to him by Devine was that there were no limits to how far he could take the production. The result was SPOD adding absurd amounts of Delays, Linn Drums, Vocoding and a whole bunch of sexy surprises.

Mild Meltdowns showcases a meticulously put together sonic landscape that envelops the listener in a wash of retro production techniques, synths, and shimmering guitars. Devine has been ambitious and creative in his songwriting but also managed to create a highly accessible record with his knack for catchy vocal hooks.

The record has produced 3 singles; the motown-inspired ‘Only Hope’, the dream-like ‘Another World’, and the sprawling, Chillwave mini opus, ‘Bob Dylan’s 116th Dream’. It is also the follow-up to Raindrop’s 2015 debut EP, ‘Crowded Brain’

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LISTEN TO ‘MILD MELTDOWNS’ HERE

‘Mild Meltdowns’ is scheduled for digital and vinyl release on Friday, 13th July

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‘MILD MELTDOWNS’ ALBUM LAUNCH

Saturday 14th JULY

@ Waywards (The Bank Hotel), Newtown, Sydney, NSW, Australia
w/Egoism + RIYM (DJ SET)

Event Page HERE

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