During my tenure in Ball State's MMP (Music Media Production) program, I've had the privilege of both collaborating and becoming acquainted with mid-America's upcoming premier music industry talents, including performing artists, recording engineers, producers and songwriters. Some have even set their sights on moving beyond the Midwest to big cities across the country, even the world. One such artist I have had the pleasure of knowing is Joy Caroline Mills, a self-made singer-songwriter and producer who is hard at work making her dreams come to life. Joy asked me to help get the word out about her upcoming EP Fever Dreams, as well as to review her new single "Recover."
Joy hails from Indianapolis, IN and has been performing her music publicly since age 13. In 2012 she began her education at Ball State by enrolling into the MMP program, where she would learn the ins and outs of music production, including theory, song-writing, recording and composition. She then moved to London for a semester to research the success strategies of independent musicians in the UK. After finishing her degree and graduating this Spring, Joy plans to return to the UK to pursue a graduate degree and work as a contracted songwriter.
While at Ball State, Joy has acquired a particular set of skills that will greatly benefit her career as an independent artist. For instance, her upcoming EP, Fever Dreams, features songs she performed, engineered, produced and mixed them all by herself. She describes it as an "eclectic mix of folk and electronic music" that she wrote while abroad in Europe.
Her song "Recover" is a great example of this mixture of styles. Take a listen below.
If music was weather, "Recover" would be an overcast day in May; that is, warm and balmy, but with grey clouds hanging overhead. This way you are comfortable, but there's still a reason to feel down in the dumps. But one does not have to be bummed out to enjoy the pleasant melodies and catchy beats of "Recover."
Starting off with a dainty glockenspiel, the song's beat and synth melodies kick in to create a catchy electronic hook that reminds me of a time-lapsed, city highway lit up at night by passing headlights. This is fitting, as the singer reminisces on a past lover who she pictures "driving on the interstate." The verses' soft, hushed vocals over dark piano chords bring a sense of melancholy to this break-up jam, and in a synth-laden chorus with ethereal vocal harmonies, Joy sings with such a longing that makes this song a welcome addition to anyone's "bummer mix" compilation.
This song has all the necessary parts, thematic build-up and production quality of a top-notch single by an independent artist. And the lyrics are well enough to strike a chord with any listener, proving that when your feelings for someone are "stronger than liquor," it is not easy to get over when they're gone.
So whether you are pining for that special someone on a rainy day, or are just looking for something to put you in that kind of mood, put on this song by mid-American musician Joy Caroline Mills. Heartbreak is never easy, but hopefully this can help you recover.
Joy's upcoming EP Fever Dreams will be available for purchase March 31, 2015 from iTunes, BandCamp, Amazon and all other digital retailers. You can also stream the entire album when it hits Spotify after the release date. All tracks were written, performed, engineered, produced and mixed by Joy Caroline Mills, and mastered by LANDR.
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