What begins as a rather sparse, ambient piece with found sound snippets, indicating a cerebral and minimal work, turns into an eclectic rampage of biting lyrics, ripping and frantic instrumentation, and a length that is all too short for the intensity that Miumi is creating.
Miumi is not afraid to build suspense in lyrical, haunting, and experimental way, as opposed to the classic post-rock definition of repetition followed by louder repetition. After an incredibly effective intro that sets up the EP but doesn’t give away the punch line, old recordings of a religious nature add a Godspeed You! Black Emperor vibe and set the tone of commentary that is played throughout Blips EP. A haunting falsetto voice wails on while a mysterious guitar whines in the background. As "Progressive Yoga" progresses and reaches a climax, the guitar and drums become frantic as if the devil himself is trying to break out of prison. All of this happens within the first seven minutes of an EP that doesn’t slack for a moment.
Delightful melody brings the mood down a bit with “Bitcrusher.” The percussion punches the song forward and maintains the feeling of urgency that has been solidified all while dueling loping guitars and spacious piano fill out the sound with warming and engulfing melodic content. Lyrics are absent on this track, but are not missed. The combination of instruments and the earnest manner in which they are played develop an extremely satisfying song, but as it ends, “Sloggy” begins. The loping guitar becomes more pointed and forceful, while mysterious lyrics haunt the listener and create an uneasy suspense. The track meanders until a mighty, ecstatic burst of energy comes along to scream out against the lament of the vocals.
Finally “Bordeaux” finishes this short, but powerful EP with an equally intense and sharp song. Schizophrenic and disjointed guitar ‘plinking’ (for lack of a better word) fills the air as a deep background engulfs the listener. Lyrics that follow a sweet but melancholic melody create the suspense (once again) that Miumi is an apparent expert at creating. Guitar and synth warp and push along until drums break the atmosphere and allow a release from the pent up anxiety that has been building throughout the EP. The vocals return, offering a cry of victory – of what I don’t know, but Blips feels complete. Recordings return but this time they are jumbled and lose their hold on the listener until the end, with a final commentary that is perhaps self reflexive, perhaps outwardly critical, or perhaps anything else that one may want to experience while listening to Blips.
Miumi is a band with a serious force behind it. It creates music that is always searching for answers as it shoots between melodies, abstractions, and vocals. Blips EP can be utterly sweet and soothing, as well as frantic and high energy. While only releasing an EP, Miumi has proven to be a group that has purpose and power. I am eagerly awaiting future releases to see what other demons Miumi can explore. If the power behind this EP is used on a full length release, it may be illegal to own in some areas in the world due to its mind altering abilities.
-Greg Norte