Blake Mills is a collector of small details. The producer and songwriter’s fourth solo album, Mutable Set, is full of sounds that benefit from a dark room, a good pair of headphones, and undivided attention.
His whispered vocals and subtly elaborate arrangements create the kind of atmosphere you can get lost in. Along with his solo work, he’s also produced hit albums for John Legend and Alabama Shakes—though, to hear him tell it, he’s hardly chasing the charts. “I don’t really listen to the radio, so I can’t bring that to the table and say, ‘Here’s how we’ll make a song that everybody around the world is gonna be listening to,’” he says over FaceTime from his home in Los Angeles. “In fact, I think my tastes are more aligned with the songs.
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