The term singer/songwriter typically conjures an image of a pensive soul, clad in bohemian garb, with an acoustic guitar slung over one shoulder. New-school singer/songwriters, though, like Coral Springs' Mike Diaz, AKA Millionyoung, fit that description only partially.
Diaz is of the pensive variety, and his fashion sensibility is of the bohemian sort, but his primary instrument does not have six strings or prove to be very useful for busking on a street corner, though he employs the antiquated guitar in his craft as well.
For the most part, Diaz's tunes are strummed out, so to speak, using a computer and software. The same building blocks used by Bob Dylan and Joni Mitchell "back in the day" are there -- rhythm, melody, and lyrics. But although the essence is the same, the style and feel of Diaz's laptop-produced music is expectedly different. For one, you can dance to it.
Culture blog Hipster Runoff labeled the sound "chillwave." It's reminiscent of '80s new wave, using synths, programmed beats, and pop song structures, but it has a feel of its own that is light, beachy, and, well, chill. The popularity of chillwave seems to have swelled and peaked over the past few years, and as Millionyoung was among the artists on the cutting edge of the movement, he is also among those to be exploring the space beyond it.
On his 2011 LP, Replicants, Diaz offers a good dose of his brand of chillwave as well as music that shows evolution. Additional musicians contribute their stylings, making much of the record the work of a band, rather than a dude with a computer. Millionyoung's live show has moved in the direction of the rock band as well, though not always. For Thursday's show at the Green Room, Diaz is reported to be playing his new-school songs with his old-new-school configuration: as a solo singer/songwriter.
For a preview of what he may have in store, check out "Carlissian" here.
Millionyoung. With Sumsun. 10 p.m. Thursday, April 12, at Green Room, 109 SW Second Ave., Fort Lauderdale. Admission is free. Click here.
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