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The life of Mylo. Myles MacInnes, a 25-year-old Scot from the Isle Of Skye has a trajectory that takes in a childhood on the Isle of Skye, low life in London and Paris and academia in Oxford and Los Angeles. In 2001 he returned to Scotland with one purpose - to submerge himself in music. Now, three years later, his debut album is ready to be unleashed.
"I'm just having fun in the studio," he begins. "It's got to have impact, otherwise I just don't see the point". Listening to his debut album, 'Destroy Rock & Roll' it's obvious that impact isn't his only weapon. The high-octane guitar chords, heavy-duty beats and raucous vocals of 'Destroy Rock'n'Roll', 'Muscle Car' and 'Drop The Pressure' are backed by the sun-kissed chords and Bay Area beats of tracks like 'Sunworshipper' and 'Need You Tonight'. While 'In My Arms' harks back to his soft rock radio days (more of that later). In 'Destroy Rock & Roll' MacInnes shows he is equally happy warming the soul as he is rocking the dancefloor.
Growing up on Skye, one of the furthest flung corners of Europe, MacInnes couldn't be too choosy about his sources of music. "Basically we had Atlantic 252," he explains. "It was this kind-of soft rock station on long-wave. We all believed it to be transmitted from a boat floating out in the mid-Atlantic. It probably wasn't true. I don't know who started that rumour. It's a nice image though - I always imagined it to be this enormous oil tanker getting thrown around on the seas, empty apart from this DJ in stonewashed denims up on the bridge with his records."
Music continued to be part of his life when he left the island to go to Oxford University. "I think I was listening mainly to charity shop records at that point", he recalls. "What else? A real mixture ’Äì anything from Squarepusher to Serge Gainsburg. A couple of years later, he found himself taking up a scholarship to do a Philosophy PhD at UCLA, California. "It was a great time," he says, wistfully. "I had this old VW Scirocco, and a lot of time to just drive around with the radio on. There's this vibe to West Coast music, they're really living in paradise but they're still completely fucked-up, and you can hear that in everything from Randy Newman to Dr. Dre."
After a year inspired by his experiences travelling along the west coast, Myles deferred from UCLA and returned to Skye to start making records of his own. With influences ranging from seventies intellectuals Steely Dan and eighties soft-rockers Toto to current artists such as Zongamin and Franz Ferdinand, it's no wonder the results are so startling. "I don't know much about genres," he confesses. "To me, a good record is a good record, and that's it."
Tinkering around in his home studio In 2001 everything began falling into place. "I sent my first demos off and, straight away, got a couple of offers." After considering the deals, he decided to go it alone, and with the backing of a couple of friends Breastfed Music was born.
Following the release of his debut 7", 'Destroy Rock & Roll' in May 2003, the response to Mylo has been overwhelming. The Face have described him as "Scotland's answer to Royksopp", the NME have declared him one to watch for 2004. He has received plays and support from radio jocks like Pete Tong and Mary Anne Hobbs as well as massive exposure in the disco's with Erol Alkan, Tiga, Laurent Garnier, X-Press 2, Freeform Five and Soulwax registered as fans of the young Scot.
Mylo may operate alone in the studio but for his live performances he has rounded up a quartet of sonic pioneers. With Mylo himself on keys, William Threlfall - synths and guitar, Lewis Harley - bass, Hector Macinnes - guitar and stunning visuals by The Phantom. Their debut live performance in a disused church on his native Isle Of Skye in February showed exactly why he is one of the countries most exciting new talents. Mylo will be on tour over the coming months (see attached sheet). where you will find him at Glastonbury and T In The Park amongst others.
"Destroy Rock & Roll" is a refreshing and startling debut. Mylo has produced a long-player that rivals the likes of Air's "Moon Safari", Daft Punk's "Homework" and Royksopp's "Melody AM". 2004 is going to be his year.
