Featured image credit: Ryi Kasai
Blending lived experience, human connection, deep musical instinct, and a commitment to the present moment, Jeff Mills’ Spiral Deluxe project unveils its second full-length album, The Love Pretender. Rooted in the spirit of improvisation and creative freedom, Spiral Deluxe fuses electronic music with jazz in a way that’s both expressive and exploratory. The collective features Mills alongside celebrated keyboardist Gerald Mitchell (Underground Resistance/Los Hermanos), Japanese synth-rocker Yumiko Ohno (Buffalo Daughter/Cornelius), and acclaimed bassist Kenji “Jino” Hino, son of legendary jazz trumpeter Terumasa Hino.
Formed as a band dedicated to spontaneous, unrehearsed sonic journeys, Spiral Deluxe thrives on the unpredictable energy of improvisation. Their sessions, both live and in studio, become what Mills calls “conversations” — intuitive exchanges between musicians who read and respond to each other with near-telepathic precision. The results are not composed in the traditional sense, but captured in real time. These recordings have already led to two EPs (Kobe Session and Tathata) and a debut album (Voodoo Magic). With The Love Pretender, we’re invited once again into the unfiltered magic of one of their improvisational marathons.
The album is a testament to trust — in the process, in each other, and in the moment. There’s little preparation involved, and none is needed. Each musician brings mastery in their field and a shared love for sound. Tracks such as “The Soloist” unfold organically, shifting subtly as one member steers the flow and the others respond with instinctive grace. The music exudes a mindfulness rarely heard in electronic records — it’s immersive, alive, and rich with risk. Jazzy flourishes, elastic basslines, warm synths, and layered keys give it a deeply human touch, underlined by the unpredictable edge of real-time creation.
One of the album’s most poignant aspects is the posthumous appearance of French guitarist Sylvain Luc, who passed away in March 2024. His contributions, recorded separately, bring a breezy West Coast texture to tracks like “Society’s Man,” adding emotional depth and a sense of farewell to the project. Additional guest musicians — including Japanese jazz talent TOKU (specialising in cornet, trumpet, and flugelhorn) and versatile guitarist-producer Masa Shimizu — further enrich the sonic palette.
Thematically, The Love Pretender touches on hope, trust, and the beauty of embracing uncertainty. By surrendering control and allowing the music to unfold naturally, Spiral Deluxe celebrates the unpredictability of life itself. It’s about finding peace in not knowing and choosing to stay present rather than projecting into the future. The result is a soundscape charged with optimism, a vital remedy for today’s anxious pace.
The title also plays on modern paradoxes — particularly the tension between authenticity and performance in the digital age. In a world where social success can be achieved through image curation and illusion, The Love Pretender subtly questions what is real. From artificial intelligence to carefully constructed personas online, the album reflects on a societal shift where surface often replaces substance. But rather than criticize, it observes — acknowledging this change as part of a larger human cycle.
True to his vision, Mills ensured The Love Pretender was produced in high fidelity, aiming for a timeless quality that invites repeated listening. His goal is to create music that lives with the listener, music that speaks, breathes, and resonates — not just momentarily, but throughout a lifetime.
With this release, Jeff Mills once again stretches the boundaries of electronic music, rejecting formula in favour of fearless exploration. The Love Pretender is vibrant, unpredictable, and profoundly human — a document of improvisation at its finest, and a reflection of Mills’ ongoing commitment to creating music that dares to feel alive.
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