Rhye burst onto the scene in 2013 and immediately grabbed me with the airy tenderness of vocalist Mike Milosh’s vocals. At the time I was literally completely unaware the singer on Woman was, quite literally, not actually in fact a woman. Whether it was the relative secrecy behind the band at the time or the album’s title, I never even thought twice about looking into it. I can still remember the mindblowing experience of seeing them on stage at the SF-based Outside Lands festival in 2013 and watching Mike Milosh come out and kick off the set. It was disorienting in all of the best ways.
Woman is gorgeous as hell. The music production here is simply wonderful and Milosh’s delicate delivery is a perfect compliment to the lush landscapes, especially the stunning string and horn arrangements. The whole thing is sonic bliss, a vibe that’s intimate and immediately draws you in. Maya Angelou once famously said “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” That is Rhye in a nutshell. They make you feel.
Come for the “if Sade made a pop album and ditched her Latin percussionist on the way to the studio” vibes, stay for the luscious landscapes and intimacy. You won’t regret it.
Standout Songs: “Open”, “The Fall”, “3 Days”
