On his third and latest album, iii, Canadian musician Michael Milosh serves up a collection of seductive, down-tempo electronica, inspired by his year living and recording on Thailand's tropical Koh Samui island. A classically trained cellist since the age of 3, Milosh writes on his MySpace page that he's "always had an intense attraction to songs that are sad, soft and beautiful" and that in his music, he attempts to "ride that thin line of mixing technology with some heart."
On iii, he's succeeded in doing just that. The album opens with the groovy, electric guitar-infused "Awful Games." It sets the tone for what's to come. While iii will certainly make listeners sway to its rhythms, it's the sort of movement that accompanies a low-key evening and a bottle of wine rather than a night out at the dance club.
Milosh has stayed true to his word and has avoided rendering his music cold or distant. The synthesized beats on iii pair well with its R&B undertones, and touches like the inclusion of cello on "Another Day" provide added warmth and emotion to the album, which is already buoyed by Milosh's soulful falsetto.
As for his attraction to sad, soft and beautiful songs, Milosh has created plenty of his own. The melancholy "Gentle Samui" is the perfect song for a rainy day if there ever was one ("And the rain came down / A pleasant scene to write a song to," he sings). Its delicate chimes reflect the pitter-patter of raindrops while Milosh's airy vocals will soothe away your worries, just as they will continue to do throughout the rest of iii.
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