MIEN is a neo-psychedelic supergroup formed by Alex Maas (The Black Angels), Tom Furse (The Horrors), Rishi Dhir (Elephant Stone), and John Mark Lapham (The Earlies). The project represents a convergence of several major threads in 21st-century psych-rock: Austin's dark garage-psych, London's art-rock electronics, and Montreal's raga-influenced indie.
Their sound identity is defined by the prominent use of sitar as a lead melodic instrument, often processed through effects to sit alongside industrial-leaning synths and driving basslines. The group's origins trace back to a 2004 meeting between Dhir and Maas at SXSW, though the project did not fully materialize until their 2018 debut. Critically, MIEN is viewed as a successful experiment in remote collaboration, blending disparate influences into a cohesive, nocturnal aesthetic that avoids the typical pitfalls of supergroups. Their work is characterized by a 'motorik-raga' fusion, emphasizing repetitive, trance-like structures that bridge the gap between 1960s psychedelia and modern electronic production.
Shares psychedelic rock, art rock (subgenres); mysterious, brooding, restless (moods)
Shares psychedelic rock, art rock (subgenres); layered_dense, reverb_heavy, analog_warmth (production style)
Shares psychedelic rock, art rock (subgenres); layered_dense, reverb_heavy, analog_warmth (production style)
Shares psychedelic rock, art rock (subgenres); layered_dense, reverb_heavy, analog_warmth (production style)
Shares psychedelic rock, art rock (subgenres); breathy, ethereal, chanting (vocal style)
Shares psychedelic rock, art rock (subgenres); layered_dense, reverb_heavy, analog_warmth (production style)
Shares psychedelic rock, art rock (subgenres); mysterious, restless, haunting (moods)
Shares psychedelic rock, art rock (subgenres); layered_dense, reverb_heavy, analog_warmth (production style)
Shares psychedelic rock, art rock (subgenres); layered_dense, reverb_heavy, analog_warmth (production style)
Shares layered_dense, reverb_heavy, analog_warmth (production style); mysterious, brooding, restless (moods)
Shares hypnotic, desert, chanting, psychedelic rock (signature)
Shares chanting, psychedelic rock, haunting, art rock (vocal style)
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