#Anna Mieke

[yamabra-extra]

ANNA MIEKE / Theatre

Anna Mieke（アンナ・ミーク）は、アイルランドのウィックロー州出身のシンガー・ソングライターで、マルチ・インストゥルメンタリストです。なんて言いつつ、僕はこの人のことを全く知らなくて、近頃特に世の中には僕の知らない才能が山ほどいるのだと、改めて感じます。しかし彼女は同じくアイルランドのLisa Hanniganや、英国のThis Is The Kit、Rozi Plainなどのアーティストと共に活動しているそうで、個性は違っても彼女たちの音楽が好きな人には容易に受け入れられるものだと思います彼女は東ヨーロッパを自転車で旅して民族音楽に触れ、ブルガリアでは伝統的な歌を学んだそうです。さらには、ニュージーランドでマオリの歌を学び、ヴォーカルの他にギター、ブズーキ、ピアノ、チェロなど多くの楽器を演奏するそうです。単調とも言えるほどに繰り返されるフレーズやリズムに重きを置いた楽曲などによって、その音像は神秘性と呪術性を帯びています。しかし愛らしく澄んだ彼女の声質とウィスパー系の歌唱との調和によって、ジェントルでいてミステリアスな香りのするオルタナ・フォークミュージックを創り上げています。

[thelastmixedtape]

Review | "unveiling the wider world of The Murder Capital" The Murder Capital - Gigi's Recovery

Review | "unveiling the wider world of The Murder Capital" Read TLMT's take on .@MurderCapital_'s new album Gigi's Recovery

Photo credit: James Kelly Once you’ve grabbed people’s imagination, it becomes imperative that you maintain it. If When I Have Fears was a primal scream for recognition, then Gigi’s Recovery is The Murder Capital holding onto that focus firmly. With a sound that fluctuates between pensive and impatient, the group’s sophomore offering insists you pay attention. Gigi’s Recovery weaves an…

[pierreism]

'Seraphim’ by Anna Mieke

Irish multi-instrumentalist Anna Mieke writes songs that conjure expansive places and moving through those places- touching on change, death, dreaming, memory, family, and perhaps an alternate reality on her latest album "Theatre". Anna Mieke and her band play in-studio for the #SoundcheckPodcast.

Anna Mieke’s new album Theatre is out now. via New Sounds

[sinceileftyoublog]

Anna Mieke Interview: Getting Lost

Photo by Lluís Tudela

BY JORDAN MAINZER

Sure, Anna Mieke’s Theatre (Nettwerk) is a folk album, but it’s less about stories than it is about submersion. Last fall, the Irish singer-songwriter followed up her stark debut Idle Mind with a bristly, shapeshifting, open record that no one person will interpret the same way. “Nothing’s ever meant to stay the same,” Mieke sings on the humming “Mannequin”, an almost inherent paradox a la “The only certain thing is uncertainty.” Such an ethos is reflected in Theatre’s songs, from the fingerpicked guitars of opener “Twin” and the pitter-patter polyrhythms of “Coralline” to the warmth of “Salt” and glisten of “Red Sun”. That is, while each song maintains a consistent quality, they take different paths to establish themselves.

Mieke, who went to school in New Zealand as a child and explored glaciers, jungles, and an active voclano, has created a soundtrack to reflect a similar sense of jumbled wonder, whether you’ve been to the same places she has or not. Co-arranged with multi-instrumentalist Ryan Hargadon and percussionist Matthew Jacobson, Theatre is perhaps uniquely “alternative folk,” steeped in musical tradition but dabbling in everything from jazz to prog. True to its title, the album is energetically sequenced like a play: The long instrumental coda of “Coralline” segues into the languid “Salt”, where Mieke sings of “wide eyes” atop Hargadon’s tenor saxophone, a framework through which to view these musical landscapes. Most breathtaking is “Seraphim”, where Mieke’s vocals beg to be led by guitar, fluttery saxophone, and forceful drums. “Take me far away from the crowds, oh, the maddening crowds,” she sings, sounding caught up in a sort of folkloric mania as her voice, too, transforms into an instrument. Mieke, the writer, the instrumentalists, the audience: We’re all a part of the inviting experience of Theatre.

Mieke plays Friday at the Old Town School of Folk Music, with Hargadon and Jacobson in tow. She’ll play tunes from Theatre and a couple older songs (none that she wrote on the bouzouki, unfortunately.) When I spoke to her in preview of the show last month, my hypothesis that no two people can hear Theatre the same way was strengthened, as I heard something different than even Mieke herself. Read our conversation below, edited for length and clarity.

Since I Left You: How would you say Theatre is different from your debut album, Idle Mind?

Anna Mieke: I was a lot more confident [this time around]. It was really different because I actually had a band going into the studio who I had played with for a really long time, whereas on my first record, it was just myself and one or two other people recording quite a lot of things, scraping together a few musicians as we went along. Also, I had barely recorded before. It was such a learning experience, and it was more a case of, “Oh, sure, I have a few songs I’ll shove together and hope they work.” This time, as I was writing these songs, I was feeling that they were very much connected, and I recorded them in that frame of mind.

SILY: The songs definitely seem to meander a bit, in a good way. There’s a looseness to them. It seems like they know where they’re going, but they’re not really afraid to take some stops along the way. Was there anything you think led to the looser nature of the songs?

AM: I find it quite funny and really interesting hearing how people describe my songs back to me. I don’t know how it’s any looser than another song; I can’t hear them that way. I think that’s just how I write my songs. In fact, I think a lot of these songs had more structure to them and less looseness than older songs. I don’t really understand that myself.

In a way, when I’m writing a song, I’m quite hyper. I find it hard to sit still. I wonder if [that reflects] in my songwriting. There are some loose and meandering songs I listen to, but I wouldn’t put my songs in the same bracket. But it’s interesting to hear your perspective.

SILY: I hear what you’re saying. There’s definitely a lot of complexity, like in “For A Time”, how the vocals, woodwinds, strings, and drums are almost syncopated. And lot of the songs revolve around circular guitar lines. I guess I was thinking of a song like “Coralline” and its outro, and the line “Nothing’s ever meant to stay the same” on “Mannequin”. It’s that spirit of change.

AM: A lot of it was recorded in an improvised way, so the arrangements were coming together with the band. They had never played it before, and I sent them a rough demo on the day of recording. A lot of the songs as presented on the album are those takes. All of it was recorded live. It was mostly Matthew Jacobson and Ryan Hargadon who I played the songs with in studio. The improvised nature of some of the songs perhaps lends itself to some of that looseness. When I first started writing, there were a few words and themes I felt myself coming back to, and one of them was all the songs having moments to improvise. With every song, the [players on the album] felt free when performing live to do something different with it, especially as compared to other albums they played on that aren’t necessarily rigid, but the players play their part, and that’s it.

Another thing I found myself coming back to was repetition. These circular, repeating guitar lines that I can get lost in.

SILY: Generally, how do you find adapting songs to a live performance?

AM: It’s interesting: I definitely do something a bit different. As much as I’d love to, we can’t bring along a flute player and other horns and guitars. Because we recorded all the songs live, that element still carries through. With the three of us, it’s definitely still a really full sound. I’ve got the guys singing on a few songs as well, which is really nice. It’s a totally different thing, having the songs recorded and playing them live. They’re different beasts. It’s nice being able to play around with them live, extend parts or take out parts and repeat things just because. We feel like there are definitely moments we can improvise a bit. It keeps it interesting for us.

SILY: Do you find the process of performing and adapting songs live just as artistically rewarding as writing and recording them in the first place?

AM: I really love performing. I find [performing] and singing songs rewarding. There are also lots of times where it maybe doesn’t feel like that. It depends on the show, I suppose. When I’ve gone through a period of quite a lot of touring, I really crave hibernating and writing for a while. But when I’m in that phase, I crave the socialization of playing the shows. “The grass is always greener.” But I feel very lucky to tour and bring songs I personally have written and let them bring me to all those new places.

SILY: Is there a song on Theatre you’re most looking forward to playing live?

AM: We toured a little bit in Europe and the UK in November and December, so we’ve played these songs a little bit. One song I really love playing live is “Coralline”, with the long extended bit at the end. I get lost in it. “Seraphim” is always a good one, too. It’s a little bit more complex guitar-wise, on the edge for me. The thrill of maybe making a mistake. [laughs]

SILY: On “Seraphim”, it sounds like you’re using your voice as an instrument the most on the record, the way you deliver your words in conjunction with the instruments.

AM: I know what you mean. It’s the oldest song I recorded, and I was singing it for a lot longer before recording it. I wonder if that’s [why]. I do love playing and singing that song, but I remember coming into this album and wanting to sing less. I feel like on my first album I was over-singing. Not only am I not into that sound anymore, but it’s important for the sustainability of my voice to be able to sing in a way that doesn’t wreck it. 

[sonicziggy]

"Mannequin - Radio Edit" by Anna Mieke https://ift.tt/kbM1wcm

[zaphmann]

In Memory of John Peel Show 221104 Podcast & Playlist

In Memory of John Peel Show 221104 Podcast & Playlist

Margaux Oswald Is this show about sex, reality/existence or depths un-fathomed… yes all of those >> the best new music, independent of the industry system – back this show on patreon Paypal to zaph@zaphmann.com heard in over 90 countries via independent stations (RSS)Pod-Subscribe for free here or Embed/listen at podomatic – itunes Apple, Audacity, Google Podcasts, Gaana, Boomplay, Amazon…

[funkyfrogoftheday]

today's funky frog of the day is the plaintive rain frog (Breviceps verrucosus)!!!! with their big sad eyes and an expression as mournful as their name would suggest, these little fellows live in south africa, lesotho, and eswatini.

photo (c) Anna Mieke van Tienhove

[actual-changeling]

Oh, sometimes things are better left unsaid instead // anna mieke

[balluprojects]

Mushroom-redo, 2024

i love mixing medias specially non traditional ones. makes me wonder and understand deeper potential individually as well as working together. I was trying a new media on top of the first drawing, giving it a new life since it's first was not to my liking. the colour pencil application on top of the gouache allowed it to have a shy but visible shine to the insects without contrasting with the base language ^^ nothing like giving it a try when you feel ready <3 a cosy Saturday on your end* >>Music>> Anna Mieke - Parallel >

[peridotglimmer]

Inspired by @myth-blossom 💕 Their post is here!

Rules: List ten books that have stayed with you in some way, don’t take but a few minutes, and don’t think too hard - they don’t have to be the “right” or “great” works, just the ones that have touched you.

Tagging: @letmetellyouaboutmyfeels @princess-of-prose @issytheamateurnerd @abschaumno1 @sharo-maneru -- if you feel like it, of course!

Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safran Foer - My English teacher hated me (and openly admitted she did) but when she recommended this book for me to read for my list, I did, and surprisingly loved it.

Tanglewreck by Jeanette Winterson - This children's book is insane in the absolute best way. I will never forget the scene in the black hole.

Tikkop by Adriaan van Dis - I had to read three of Van Dis' books in the 6th year of high school, and I hated the first two with a burning passion. It was a huge surprise when I turned out to actually like Tikkop.

No et Moi by Delphine de Vigan - Lent to me by my French teacher Mrs Loeff to read during grammar lessons, it completely enraptured me at 15. I refuse to watch the movie because I'd rather keep my own mental images.

Het Grote Boek van Sebastiaan by Mieke van Hooft - My grandmother would read this to me and my brother whenever we'd spend the night there (followed by lullabies that I now sing to our son).

Martin the Warrior by Brian Jacques - Honestly, I could have put the entire Redwall series here, but this is the book that 7-year-old Belle read in one go and stayed up all night for to finish, and that made me want to change my name to Rose.

The entire Junie B. Jones series by Barbara Park - When we emigrated to the U.S. when I was six, Junie B. Jones basically taught me English. My mum and I would struggle through four pages a night. I learnt what a school bus was, and a rubber ducky. Later, I'd save my pocket money every week to be able to buy more of them when we went to Barnes & Nobles.

The Twins by Tessa De Loo - The book that nearly made me fail my Dutch oral final. I had a complete blackout, and couldn't answer the question 'what are the main characters' names?' I'm never, ever forgetting their names are Anna and Lotte ever again.

The Stephanie Plum series by Janet Evanovich - These books aren't particularly amazing. The plot isn't brilliant; the humour is just fine, but they transported me to a different world as a teen, one where abusive family members didn't exist.

The Murder of Bindy Mackenzie by Jaclyn Moriarty - As a teen, the plot blew me away. It also took me thirty minutes this morning to figure out the title of this book because I read it in Dutch, where they decided for some godforsaken reason to rename her Scarlett instead of Bindy.

[thelastmixedtape]

Review | "Moves with balletic intricacy" Anna Mieke - Theatre

Review | "moves with balletic intricacy" Read TLMT's take on .@annamieke_'s new album Theatre

Theatre moves with balletic intricacy. Anna Mieke’s sophomore offering twists and turns with blurred indie-folk motion, underpinned by deeply woven musicality. All of which pulled into focus by Mieke’s commanding central performance, as it captures mood and tone with swift harmonic gestures.  Intimacy lies at the heart of Theatre. From the gradual fade-in of ‘Twins’ to the song’s building…

[persephonyed]

rules: shuffle your ‘on repeat’ playlist and post the first ten tracks, then tag 10 people:

big wheel by samia

ring of keys from fun house

my petersberg from anastasia the musical

ceilings by lizzy mcalpine

warped window by anna mieke

let me be your star from smash the tv show

the ballad of jane doe from ride the cyclone

deep end by holly humberstone

amelie by gracie abrams

i want more from grease: rise of the pink ladies

TAGGED BY: @caeruleums & @seducteurs TAGGING: literally anyone who wants to do it bc at this point i feel like i’ve seen everyone who i follow and their second cousins post this already <3

[queen-scribbles]

❌��⭕️send a random song and I'll say which OC it fits the most❌️⭕️

Mountain Song is definitely one for Jael

I’m struggling to see can I stand upon your shoulders I’m weak at the knees and I can’t breathe Oh what a view from where you stand

(also just the whole outdoors vibe, that's so very her)

i walk this earth all by myself is a tricky one, not a perfect fit for any of my kids, but I think Sigi Hawke would be closest?

Nobody gives a fuck about me That's what I think to myself when I'm alone in the city I walk around the mall, but there's nobody with me What do I say when there's nobody listening?

I'm a Cliché is a good one for Kasey, I think

Recycle the subjects until everything sounds the same Every heartbreak is shitty, everyone's hometown is lame Act like my emotions are worth writing songs about It won’t make you any better, putting words over sounds

[torialefay]

🎶✨when u get this, list 5 songs u like to listen to, publish. then, send this ask to 10 of your favorite followers (positivity is cool)🎶✨

hehe this is so cute. i guess mine all have a somewhat similar vibe these days? 🫶🏼🥰

1. the river - hunter metts

2. lady may - tyler childers

3. red eye - vance joy

4. don't lose a good thing - mon rovîa

5. twin - anna mieke