Denim-clad and donning a cap, Miles Evans-Branagh is a musician on the move, a modern-day troubadour. When he is not on the road lending his talents to groups like The Commoners, Samantha Martin & Delta Sugar, he is miles from nowhere. Toting a blend of indie soul and alt-pop into 2023 in ambling adventure, Slow Down, he draws on life’s lessons, losses, and loves. These eight tracks are deeply personal and uniting in their relatability, lyrically travelling from the garden, past the circus, to the museum, to play like Polaroids: glimpses of moments, fragments of a life’s story.
Honest and upfront, Slow Down offers a clear message: it’s not about where you’ve been, where you are, or where you’re going, what matters is who you’re with. The album opener, “A Little Bit,” carries the sentiment of going through life and losing people along the way, but feeling okay because of the people and love that you have here and now.
miles from nowhere. has honed his tune smithing abilities with long-time collaborator Jason Bhattacharya, gathering inspiration from folk to funk. The result is a sound that expresses melodic maturity, precise yet playful. While there is an element of experimentation, one can’t deny the intentionality behind every horn line, harmony, and Hammond pad. The combination makes for an unpredictable, and utterly enthralling listen.
