millhope – “Truth and Dare” (Release: March 7, 2025, Hey!blau Records)
With Truth and Dare, Cologne-based producer Thomas Mühlhoff embarks on a sonic journey between dream and reality. Chillwave, Ambient Rock, and Downbeat intertwine to create a floating sonic tapestry that invites the listener to drift away. Field recordings and dreamy synthesizers evoke a fragile, almost mystical atmosphere. The remixes by Lusine and Rafael Anton Irisarri extend this vision, deepening the mood and allowing the album to shine in unexplored dimensions.
“Truth or Dare” – the game that challenged and connected us as children. Whether we faced the truth or boldly jumped into the unknown, it was always a matter of character. For Thomas Mühlhoff, the creative mind behind the electronica project millhope, this game became the inspiration for his debut album Truth and Dare: “I believe truth and responsibility are deeply interconnected, and music is the ideal medium to explore and capture our own truth.”
millhope creates a fascinating sonic world on Truth and Dare, where Chillwave, Ambient Rock, and Downbeat merge into a powerful sound. Enveloping synthesizers and gripping guitars meet driving drums and deep bass, while distorted field recordings create a mysterious and multi-layered atmosphere. Adding to this are high-profile remixes from the electronic avant-garde scene, contributed by artists from the renowned U.S. label Ghostly International: Rafael Anton Irisarri, who also mastered the album, and producer Lusine bring additional depth to tracks like “Green Yellow Yellow” and “Daydream,” offering new interpretations of the pieces.
An Album as a Sonic Journey
Truth and Dare is a multifaceted work that reveals new layers with each listen. The tracks are rich in field recordings, blending everyday sounds like birdsong, ocean waves, or raindrops with the music, giving the album an authentic, personal touch. These soundscapes unfold a timelessness that immediately resonates: the song “Searching” expresses the ups and downs of life through its wave-like sound, while “Illusion” immerses the listener in a nearly surreal world where reality and illusion become difficult to distinguish. A special highlight is “Green Yellow Yellow,” which evokes a nostalgic sound reminiscent of Daft Punk, yet carries its own unique flavor, inviting the listener to surrender to the captivating beats. “It’s about leaving the everyday behind and enjoying the here and now,” says Mühlhoff.
An Experience for Eyes and Ears
“The cover should reflect the atmosphere of the album – that interplay between reality and illusion.” To achieve this, Thomas Mühlhoff teamed up with Parisian fashion photographer Tom Hagemeyer, who has previously worked with artists like Jean Benoît of AIR. “Tom has an incredible sensitivity for moods and details. His vision captured exactly what the music conveys.” As Creative Director, photographer, and photo editor, Hagemeyer meticulously crafted the artwork for Truth and Dare, giving the album a visual identity. “The image tells its own story and invites the listener to embark on the journey through the album.”
As a musician and product designer, Thomas Mühlhoff has a penchant for creative innovations that make his artistic vision tangible beyond music. In addition to the digital release, Truth and Dare will be available in several physical formats, including a CD and an exclusive cassette. The vinyl versions will be released as both high-quality 180g vinyl and intricately designed picture discs. Mühlhoff has also developed a unique gadget: a small cardboard figure that lies on an air mattress and can be placed on the record player needle. As the picture disc plays, the figure drifts across a seascape – a journey that symbolically mirrors the journey through the music of the album.
credits
released March 7, 2025
millhope is Thomas Mühlhoff
production and mix: Thomas Mühlhoff
mastering: Rafael Anton Irisarri
all drums performed and recorded by: Alex Höffken
vocals on „prototype“: Jenny Thiele
french horn on "Pivot" performed and recorded: Viola Schmitzer
trombone & trumpet performed and recorded on "Pivot": Til Schneider
consulting: Christoph Hübner
cover artwork, graphic design and prepress: Bruno Bauch
concept: Tom Hagemeyer and Thomas Mühlhoff
creative direction, photography and photo editing: Tom Hagemeyer
photo assistant and location scouting: Sohaib Hadri
product design: Jens and Thomas Mühlhoff, Hey!blau Labs
Pictures on the inside pocket: private, except for the photo in the center: Anna Baydak
Label: Hey!blau Records
A heartfelt thank you to everyone whose endless support made this album possible. In addition to those mentioned above, I would especially like to thank:
My family, Jonas Holland-Moritz, Bartosz Dronka, Frederik Reder, Jeff McIlwain, Boris Dlugosch, Mark Gray, Nadine Wenzlick, Matthias Bischoff, Lucia Zimara, Andreas Schaffer
German-born producer millhope sees his instrumental music as a source for daydreaming, curiosity, hope, and idleness. With
his catchy synthesizer melodies and spherical guitar lines, pushed by driving drums and striking bass, millhope’s music takes you on a journey through dreamy soundscapes, drawing inspiration from albums like Tycho's "Dive“, Genesis's "Abacab“ and Muse's synth arpeggios....more
