Drawing us in with an astral, panning guitar and glitched electronica with moody bass inflections, Allan Jamisen opens Milk & Honey with introspective layered vocals, and the situational, observational lyrics, “I’m a stranger in my hometown, gone so long, there’s no right or wrong now, all my friends are settling down, with all the memories of what they found, hey hey hey, it’s another fine day in the land of milk and honey…”
We have been following Allan Jamisen‘s creative path for some time now, and each release is uniquely distinctive. This time, he taps into a surrealist trip-hop vibe which would resonate with fans of 90s acts like Morcheeba, Portishead, Zero 7 and Massive Attack. His signature brooding vocal timbre, reminiscent of Nick Cave and Leonard Cohen, also comes to life.
As for the message of the song, it’s something quite relatable, but also clearly written from Allan’s lived perspective as someone who has lived in different countries. Allan shares how the song was inspired by his return to Phoenix after spending more than a decade living in Denmark.
We appreciate the delicate piano riffs and the emergence of a sublime saxophone solo performance. The track was co-produced by acclaimed engineer and producer John X Volaitis, and features electric guitar by Danny Saber.
Allan shares that the intention of Milk & Honey is to remind us that “home is as much a state of mind as it is a physical place.” This feels poignant now more than ever considering the displacement of so many people due to war and climate change. It’s a highly zeitgeist and relatable listening experience.
The track holds a cinematic allure, and we could imagine Milk & Honey being featured in a film like the Oscar-winning, One Battle After Another, or an iconic film like Garden State which truly echoes the message of the song.
We always love what Allan Jamisen creates, and have added Milk & Honey to our New Music Spotlight playlist, and our TIMELESS and TRIPPY playlists, whilst we continue to stream the wider discography of Allan Jamisen and anticipate future releases.