Milhaven – Automata EP
Germany’s Milhaven are one of the unsung heroes of post-rock music; consistently releasing quality instrumental music which never threatens to turn the genre on its head but almost invariably manages to engage the mind. The self-produced and self-released ‘Automata’ is their latest offering.
At its most fundamental level, ‘DRZ’ consists of layers of sad guitars. They all sound rather desolate until about six minutes in when there’s a sudden injection of pace and urgency which rarely relents thereafter. With its slow burning power and the fact that it takes up half of the EP’s running time, one could be forgiven for thinking that ‘DRZ’ is the outstanding track. However, the more considered tones of ‘Zombi’ are more satisfying; conveying a sense of elegant world weariness which reaches a peak when the band allow some shimmering electronica to enter the mix. The title track is also a delight and is made up of pretty interweaving melodies, contrasting deliciously with the torment at the beginning of the EP.
Having heard much of Milhaven’s material over the last seven years, they have retained an ability to make some rather splendid post-rock music. The last two tracks here are also amongst their best work, suggesting more is yet to come.
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