The Chicago singer-songwriter and educator Sacha Mullin has a particular method of reacting to a win. Having just secured the “Chicago’s Best Pop Artist” award from the Chicago Reader, he has now taken his fourth album, “Social Touch”, in a more clearly pop direction. The album, which was released on October 19, places accessibility at the heart of an artistic style that makes use of complex harmonies, angular melodies, and a remarkably adaptable voice.
It is a sensible decision. Mullin has as influences Kate Bush, Joni Mitchell, and Geike Arnaert—artists each of whom provides familiar song forms with a good deal of expressive freedom. The pop genre can take a strange melodic turn. A chorus is capable of conveying complex emotions. For a songwriter who works in art rock, jazz, and experimental music, such possibilities are surely something to be excited about.
Art Pop, Vocals, Intimacy
-PurpleMistress
The voice is the most important element; Mullin’s singing shifts smoothly from a quiet, precise style to a sudden and powerful outburst, placing vulnerability and dramatic strength right next to one another. I am interested in this relationship since a technical range takes on appeal when the singer imparts emotional meaning upon it. What draws us in is the way intimacy and intensified expression can coexist in the same performance.
The lead single ‘Hypocenter’ once again features Emily Bindiger, who has previously worked with Leonard Cohen and on ‘Cowboy Bebop’, providing backing vocals. Her returning for this new direction helps to create a sense of continuity. Although Mullin is focusing on a different aspect, he is carrying forward his existing creative relationship with her.
What I find attractive in “Social Touch” is the ambition that lies behind this focus. For a songwriter who is trying something new, selecting popular songs involves considerable demands in the way of clarity, balance, and a readiness to make the idea immediately understandable.
The fact that Mullin has this background makes the suggestion especially interesting. Since his music is already based on a tension between precision and intensity, incorporating those qualities into a more distinct pop form gives his fourth album a definite artistic aim and provides listeners with a convincing reason to pay closer attention.
