Misha – All We Will Become

Misha’s All We Will Become is apparently inspired by themes of “reincarnation and renewal”, and you can see why the idea of a fresh start might appeal. Following 2007 debut Teardrop Sweetheart, the New York-based duo went ominously quiet; since then, break-ups both personal and professional have cleaved the act in two, leaving multi-instrumentalist John Chao to mount a belated second act alone.

Well, almost alone: former foil Ashley Yao may have departed, but guest vocalists permit Chao to revisit the gentle boy-girl harmonies of calling card Summersend – a dynamic that’s particularly effective on billowy pop number Limelight and the sweeping dramatics of In Reverse.

The latter’s elegant strings contribute towards an impressively diverse sound, making Misha a one-man band with real depth and breadth – though also something of a confused identity, at times jumping between styles a little too readily. The next incarnation should set that right; hopefully we won’t have to wait another nine years to know for sure.

Misha - All We Will Become - 5.20.2016 from Misha/Tomlab on Vimeo.