His first solo release, following a successful run with Toronto's Dizzy Spell,
JC Milo carves out an impressively idiosyncratic niche with his unique brand of singer/songwriter electronica on
Giant Bug. A fantastic tunesmith, crafting arrangements that are both exotic and elegant, pulling from a variety of traditions,
Milo uses his deft piano melodies as a foundation for electronic experimentation. His husky, soulful voice, which given his unique phrasing is somewhat reminiscent of
Sting, proves to be a suitably elastic tool, as he doesn't sound out of place crooning a dark piano ballad, cooing over a loose jazz arrangement, or accompanying a thumping Afro-pop beat. Ultimately, the influence of world music is felt deeply throughout the tracks, adding a bubbling grooviness to the more staid tracks and giving the album a particularly distinctive textural feel. The results, whether a gorgeous
Randy Newman-esque piano piece ("As I Do") or an exotic Spanish groove ("World of Lies"), combine many of the strongest elements traditionally found in both singer/songwriter pop and electronic music. Overall, it would be hard to ask for much more in a debut.