Getting To Know Multi-Instrumentalist The Mietus Touch

Hailing from Chicago, multi-instrumentalist Joseph Mietus producing under the name The Mietus Touch comes in with a fresh new sound with his latest album release ‘Transcendental Souvenirs’.

You've got a really funky sound, how did you find your unique sound?

I suppose it’s just me emulating sounds I’ve heard and love. Both trying to copy what I’ve heard and finding a new way to do it. As time goes on music, really art of any kind, is going to see more and more overlapping influence and I think that comes through on the record. It’s really just me trying to siphon every musical idea I’ve ever had and distill it down to something that works in the context of what I’m trying to do at the moment. I want to make songs that sound like Prince just as much as I want to make songs that sound like Neil Young. I love that I put out a record that has both of those influences on there, at times within the same song.

Can you tell us about your latest release and what inspired it?

I had dozens of songs recorded of varying levels of completeness. Some just basic drum grooves and chord structures others almost fully produced. So I sat down with everything and figured out which ones worked together and which I was most excited about. From there I needed lyrics and about this same time started spending time with someone who inspired a lot of lyrics. This was the end of 2020 so the height of pandemic winter and she was the one positive, exciting thing I had to write about. Flash forward to early summer and just as I was ready to put that out we fell out of contact, which is a diplomatic way to put it, and I was left with an album about how much I enjoyed being with someone I was no longer spending time with. So one song got a restructuring and I wrote two new ones. “Maybe I’m a Coyote” came together as the rest of the album was being mastered and I had to halt that process to get that song on the album. But it was essential as it puts the emotional cap on the whole thing. Closes the book on that story.

If you could collab with a current artist who would it be?

I’ve gotten asked this a few times and the name that keeps coming to mind is Beck simply because over his career he’s hit so many different genres. Benji Hughes is someone who did that on one album, A Love Extreme, which is one of my absolute favourites and a real inspiration in terms of what a single artist can do. I think he’s just the best. I’m going to give this more thought so I have a better answer the next time I get asked but I think me, Beck, and Benji would make some pretty stellar tunes.

You recorded this at home and mix and mastered yourself, is there a music process that you find difficult?

I recorded, produced, and mixed myself but it was mastered by Tom Volpicelli at The Mastering House in Chicago who was super helpful taking me through that process. That final part of the process was something I didn’t want to do myself both in terms of technical ability but also just to get an expert opinion and once over before it went out the door and into the world. The process of writing, recording, and mixing a song means you’re going to hear it hundreds of times so you get to a point where you’re a bit sonically punch drunk. If there’s any difficulty in doing everything myself it’s in not having a second opinion on things. I’ve messed around with home recording since junior high but Transcendental Souvenirs was the first time I made a real effort to get something to sound as professional as possible. So I learned a ton and I’m really excited to take that to the next level.

What do you have next coming up?

Already working on the next record! I’ve got a ton of material in the queue, now I’m just deciding on a release strategy as well as sifting though the tunes that still resonate and are things I want to work on. But also writing all new material and I’m really excited about what I have ahead. Also talking to some people about putting a band together to do some shows/touring on this current material.

What stimulates your soul?

Deep, honest, personal connection. Real vulnerability.