Members of The Horrors, The Black Angels, Elephant Stone and The Earlies have formed MIEN

While they’re announcing their existence, and a forthcoming album today (23 Jan), the story of MIEN goes back some distance.

The genesis of the band, which features The Black Angels‘ Alex Maas, The Horrors‘ Tom Furse, Elephant Stone’s Rishi Dhir and The Earlies’ John Mark Lapham, can be traced back as far as 2004.

Dhir met Black Angels frontman Maas while he was performing sitar with his former band The Brian Jonestown Massacre at SXSW in Austin, Texas. Later on they also shared a bill with John Mark Lapham from The Earlies and bonded over a mutual appreciation for one song in particular – ‘Wantin’ Ain’t Gettin’ by the Association. Together they had an aborted effort at covering it (a track they’d find themselves returning to).

Almost a decade on, Dhir joined The Black Angels to play bass and their paths crossed with touring comrades The Horrors who were promoting ‘Skying’ at the time. That’s where Tom Furse entered the fold.

Fitting in writing and recording sessions in between global tours for all of their primary projects – sometimes they were in a room, other times sending each other contributions online – the fruits of their collaboration are now ready to be shared. Their self-titled debut album will come out via Rocket Recordings on 6 April.

The vision as John Mark puts it was to “imagine the Black Angels as Nico in her ’80s industrial phase mixed with George Harrison and Conny Plank.”

‘Black Habit’ is the first track they’ve shared, and we’re not sure we can better John Mark’s words on what to expect.