Get ready to descend into a world of wonders, doubts and mysteries because on the 21st of June, Swiss-American singer Milune released her debut EP called rabbit holes, a record that is the very definition of dreamy indie-pop.
The EP is off to a strong start with the title track ‘rabbit holes’. Its intro is a fairytale-like sound; the tune that follows is fast-paced and includes a lot of abrupt note changes that emphasise the feeling of a free fall. The lyrics seem to be about losing yourself, dissociating as a consequence, and therefore no longer watching out for yourself. It already becomes clear in this song that nature is a recurring theme throughout the EP. Milune ties together this fantasy world and the real world by mentioning the Meilen forest, an area outside of Zürich.
‘Calista’, the second track, starts with soft guitar notes and while the tune remains enchanting throughout the whole length of the song, its true beauty lies in the lyrics. It’s a touching song about leaving your childhood behind and trying to deal with this experience. What makes it even more emotional is the fact that Milune wrote the track for her little sister.
The third track, ‘torn’ is the epitome of melancholia. Again, there’s the tie to nature with mentions of seasons, storms and shores. ‘torn’ is very clearly a breakup track and is made up of heartbreaking lyrics such as “Kiss me til I’m blue and red, thought I’d taste you again; to never wanted it to end but now you make me sick instead”. This is one of many examples of Milune’s brilliant songwriting. The song also includes the line “I’m dangerously way too self-aware”, which sums up the song and the entire EP perfectly. This self-awareness follows an intense self-inventory, which is exactly what happens throughout the EP; to call this inner search a rabbit hole is a painfully fitting metaphor.
Mid-EP, a change of mood happens with ‘fever dream’, a seductive track that presents Milune’s voice from a sultrier side and shows just how versatile she is. Despite this song being sonically quite different from the others, it still fits the theme of rabbit holes and descending into a situation that might potentially be dangerous, causing you to lose yourself. While the lyrics sound adventurous and morbidly exciting at first, there is an incredibly sad undertone as she sings “Help me, I think I lost my body”.
‘never feel soft again’ is possibly the saddest song on this mini album. Both sonically and lyrically, it’s dark and sombre. Once again, there’s the theme of losing yourself, this time in a toxic relationship. The last song of the EP, ‘grace’, has similarly sad lyrics. Just like in the opening track, there’s this feeling of dissociation, of no longer being in touch with yourself.
The EP then comes to an end with a French poem titled ‘jusqu’à la fin’, a recording that will touch you with its delicate melody and Milune’s beautiful voice even if you don’t speak the language. It carries a sense of resignation and acceptance, giving the listeners closure.
For this body of work, Milune is fully embracing the wonderland aesthetic, not just in the music itself. She provides stunning visualisers for each song and the title track ‘rabbit holes’ is accompanied by a beautiful music video. This debut EP has made it clear that Milune is an artist who knows how to conceptualise and create a project where the songs are tied together by metaphors and imagery but still all stand on their own and tell their unique story.
Written by: Melanie Falkensteiner
Edited by: Marieke Weeda
