By “It was a deep, dark, lonely time,” says Miguel Migs of the last 15 months. But they say out of dark comes light and that’s certainly the case with Migs’ romantic and intimate new album, Shaping Visions. The album is brimming with soothing sunny charm, hooky melodies and buttery house vibes – the perfect tonic.
Although Migs’ brand of house music is always deep and heartfelt, Shaping Visions might be his most laidback and mellow album yet. That is in no small part due to the pandemic, which all but cancelled dance music overnight. After decades on the road in an endless cycle of touring and travelling, Migs was suddenly at home with much more time on his hands. So he reconnected with old hobbies.
Nature
From hiking to bike riding, spending time at the beach or hanging at the park, his love of the outdoors gave him an escape. It also underpins his music. “I was in nature a lot during the pandemic,” says DJ and producer Migs. “And this past year I dove into working on and finalising this album project, expressing myself through my craft and writing songs.”
Laidback Vibe
The Salted Music label head can trace his passion for proper songwriting back to his childhood. Miguel Migs grew up near the beach in California and always gravitated to a soulful sound reflecting the Golden State’s laidback vibe. His hippie parents played everything from The Rolling Stones to Fleetwood Mac, Jimmy Cliff to Muddy Waters. “All that music is ingrained into me on a cellular level and has always had a huge impact on how I express myself creatively.”
Specialist
Somewhat unusually for a house artist, Miguel Migs is an album specialist. Rather than just collecting a load of dancefloor singles on one record, he has a knack for nuance. His albums are a more rewarding listening experience rather than a collection of quick thrills. His music has depth, dimension and flow. Shaping Visions is the perfect soundtrack for “hanging out at home, on a road trip down the coast, or in your headphones while you’re walking down the street.”
Migs says his approach allows “more flexibility and freedom to express various sonic inspirations”. But there are always two sides to how he approaches writing music. “There is the DJ side of my brain for material I want to play in my DJ sets,” he says. “And there is the music fan that loves to explore writing songs and creating a cohesive body of material. I always try to make music that resonates and connects with music fans of all styles.”
Reset
Some of the songs on Shaping Visions changed shape in light of the pandemic, which Migs calls “a reset for humanity in some ways”. “For everybody to slow down, reflect and be more compassionate in general. By slowing down as an artist, I allowed myself to create purely based on how I was feeling. The album is sort of a time capsule of the pandemic for me. It was a very emotional time. I was reminded how fragile the mind can be, reminded of how important it is to always be kind and thoughtful to others. I was reminded to slow way down and allow for a shift in perspective that highlights the real things that matter in life.”
Enriched
A beautifully warm album, Shaping Visions is enriched with plenty of Migs’ lush guitar riffs and chord structures. He taught himself how to play guitar as a child. Soon after, he started writing material inspired by his parents’ collection of classic rock, funk and soul. For a while, Migs was lead guitarist and songwriter for the Santa Cruz band Zion Sounds. It disbanded in the mid-1990s, but the dub and reggae elements of the band’s sound had a looming influence on his electronic music career.
Connect
One of his main goals with Shaping Visions is to connect with people on a deeper level. He hopes the album’s tracks “might help someone through the day and inspire them in some way.” Migs adds: “If I can bring someone a little joy through my music then I feel like I am on the right track to continue what I do.”
The album’s vocals help him succeed on that level. Most are sung by long-time collaborators but Migs always takes care of the actual lyrics, whether solo or in collaboration. The vocals elevate the album’s mid-tempo grooves with extra layers of emotive soul.
Mystery
“I enjoy and gravitate to writing abstract lyrics that tend to tell a story yet have an element of mystery. A huge part of my approach is capturing a certain feeling and mood through the vocal textures and delivery while recording with the vocalist. The melodies and various sections we explore might seem subtle but there is emphasis on capturing an intimate feeling through the vocal performances.”
Shaping Visions by Miguel Migs is out today on Defected sub-label Soulfuric Deep. Listen to album track Back Tonight featuring Martin Luther below.
Brewing
Migs says he’s already thinking about his next album. It might take the shape of a deluxe compilation project with unreleased versions of songs and edits sitting alongside new songs. “I have so many ideas brewing in my mind all the time,” says Migs. “There are so many projects I would love to do, so many albums I would love to focus on and create.”
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