NICOLE MIGLIS "Myopia" CD

For Nicole Miglis, the multi-instrumentalist and voice of the beloved indie pop group Hundred Waters, writing the songs for her debut solo album Myopia evolved in bits and pieces: travel to a new city, gather field recordings, spark an idea, refine and repeat in an ever-changing order. Many of the songs poured out over the span of a few weeks, while the rich instrumentation developed patiently as Miglis tinkered with the layered soundscapes. Lived experiences recontextualized loose lyrics or snippets, letting the compositions grow organically. Her field recordings further modify the mood with their geography. Ambient street noise conjures visions of lovesick nights along moonlit city blocks, whereas plucking harp points to a restorative afternoon in the mountains; the sense of time and place is vivid. The result is her debut Myopia, an album that explores the complex intersections of desire, melancholy and identity while showcasing her mesmerizing ability to synthesize experimental production, pop melodies and classical form into a musical language completely her own.

Miglis’ musical career began in college where she met her future collaborators in Hundred Waters, the indie pop group with whom she wrote and co-produced three studio albums. The band and each of their releases received considerable praise from numerous outlets including Pitchfork, Rolling Stone, NPR, New York Times and many more. After recording their last album Communicating, she found herself breaking off from the band and in search of what life could look like outside of the group. For her first solo album Myopia, Miglis was determined to write, produce and perform all of the songs herself. “A big part of this album was to see what I could do on my own,” she explains. “Especially coming out of Hundred Waters, where I was starting to have a bit of an identity crisis.” Although many of the tracks came together while still with the band, she found renewed creative vigor following her global tour as lead singer for Grammy nominated electronic musician Bonobo in 2022-23.

Throughout Myopia, Miglis crystallizes interwoven states of obsession, love and loss alongside an evenly eclectic array of sounds, both organic and digital. The album is the culmination of a lifetime of artistic endeavors, threading moments throughout her entire career into her most lush and compelling collection of songs to date. It blends textures and genres alongside instruments and influences—from pianos and strings to harp acoustics and ethereal loops—bridging the gap between classical and modern with an album poised to intrigue fans of electronic, orchestral and pop music alike.

Tracklist:
01. All I See Is You
02. Heaven Sent
03. City Rats
04. One & Only
05. Autograph
06. Lure
07. Silver Wild
08. Sleep All Day
09. Blink of an Eye