New Release: Mica Millar 'Heaven Knows' Album on Limited Edition 12" Double Vinyl & CD
Championed by Craig Charles, Jazz FM & Blues & Soul Rated 10/10
Already fiercely championed by a slew of highly esteemed collaborators and soul tastemakers across the UK and US, independent, Soul newcomer Mica Millar’s debut album 'Heaven Knows' was released in June 2022.
The album is self-written, arranged and produced with inspiration drawn from a plethora of vintage soundscapes, notably, soul, blues, gospel and jazz. Respectful nods are paid to girl groups of the 60's and 70's and classic Soul, giving these songs a timeless quality that is both reassuringly familiar yet distinctively Mica Millar.
In a creative pursuit that has spanned almost three years, 'Heaven Knows' finds Mica exploring themes of human nature, spirituality, love, oppression, inequality and empowerment.
Notably, the fourteen track debut has been mixed by multi-platinum Producer/Engineer Brian Malouf, known for engineering Michael Jackson’s Bad album and working with Motown legend Stevie Wonder amongst many other Grammy award-winning works. Completing mixing sessions with Mica via Zoom from his state of the art studio facility in LA, Malouf credits Mica as a talent that is “every engineer’s dream” with a clear vision and outstanding songs and vocals, likening her production approach on album track “Flashlights” to that of Quincey Jones.
Amongst those also credited on ‘Heaven Knows’ are esteemed bassist, Jerry Barnes (Whitney Houston, Nile Rodgers, Chic) who adds his signature bass sound to single ‘Preacher Man’, Bobby Sparks (Snarky Puppy), Vince Chiarato (Black Pumas), Ricky Peterson (Prince, Fleetwood Mac), Brandon Rose (Marcus Miller), Miles James (Michael Kiwanuka, Tom Misch, Cleo Soul) and David Z Rivkin (A producer/engineer/arranger on Prince’s album “Purple Rain” and long standing collaborator of Etta James). Rivkin is credited as an additional arranger on album track, ‘Fool’s Fate’.
Recorded between Manchester, Devon, New York, Minneapolis, Nashville, LA and other locations across the US and Mastered at the iconic Abbey Road Studios, Mastering Engineer, Geoff Pesche (Tina Turner, Adele), cites 'Heaven Knows' as the the best project he's worked on at Abbey Road Studios in 2021 and predicts Mica will be “the most exciting new artist releasing music in 2022”.
Listen to 'Heaven Knows' and get Limited Edition 12" Double Vinyl or CD (click here)
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Get Tickets to see Mica Millar live at:
The Jazz Cafe, London - Saturday 17th September 2022 (Click here)
The Albert Hall, Manchester - Sunday 25th September 2022 (Click here)
ALBUM REVIEWS
Blues & Soul Magazine (10/10 & Front Cover Feature) - “A star with intense emotional sincerity is born. ‘Heaven Knows’ is an outstanding debut album that’s awash with skilful balladry”.
Echoes Magazine (5* & Soul Album of The Month) - “You’ll see the care and attention that’s gone into this. It’s definitely been worth the effort. This is top work for any artist, let alone one making their first solo set”.
Soul & Jazz & Funk (5*) - “If you really care about proper contemporary Soul Music, you need to investigate. Little wonder that more than a few Soul Tastemakers are already talking about Mica Millar’s Heaven Knows as Brits Soul Album of The Year”
The House That Soul Built (5*) - “Heaven Knows is a tight cohesive project deserving of the buzz it’s generating”
Wall of Sound (5*) - “There’s nothing remotely tentative about any of this. The songwriting is assured, the production consistently on the money and the voice…well that’s the whole point.”
Voice Magazine (5*) - “Heaven Knows is definitely on track to be a groundbreaking album, one that I suspect will reach high up on many retrospective ‘Best of 2022’ lists towards the end of this year”
Soul & Jazz (5*) - “Receiving universal praise and understandably so, Heaven Knows is our Soul Album of The Week”
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