For the second time, the psych supergroup MIEN has come together for an album. Originally sparked by an idea from Alex Maas and Rishi Dhir, it took a while before anything made it to tape. Their 2018 debut stripped back the rock roots and leaned heavily into electronic elements—and that’s the direction they’ve continued with.
MIIEN (Fuzz Club) slightly broadens their palette, but doesn’t fundamentally shift the foundation. Maas’ vocals are still heavily processed, though not as often buried under dense, atmospheric layers. Instead, his voice takes the foreground more frequently, wrapping softly around the soundscape.
Robb Kidd and John Mark Lapham build the surrounding textures, though with limited variation—that’s perhaps the album’s biggest drawback. More moments like the explosive “How Could You Run” or the upbeat “Evil People” would’ve added some much-needed punch.
As it stands, it’s a sprawling, dreamy album that occasionally drifts into sleepy territory. Next time, a little more fire wouldn’t hurt.
MIEN – MIIEN: Dream Psych – RIFL