Mikk - Shadow Selves Live Session @ Ruby Lissi Vienna

Sponsored by SKE | Recording and Arrangement: Antoine Humbert & Alexander Baltz Mix: Max Hauer Vocals Guitar: Michaela Großschädl Bass: Pablo Jäger Synth Guitar: Max Hauer Drums: Alex Kerbl Shadow Selves While studying psychology, Mikk began to write songs about her “Shadow Selves”. Inspired by C.G. Jung’s concept of the unconscious, irrational and dark sides of a personality, which he called “Shadow Self“ and social-psychological concepts which assume that people have not just one I (Self) but several (Selves), build the fundament of her song lyrics. In her first EP “Shadow Selves” she playfully and reflectively puts the often-difficult relationship dynamics between two people, or towards oneself, to the spot and touches on projections, misunderstandings, unfulfilled wishes and longings. In her lyrics you won’t quite figure out if she is in conversation with her shadow personalities or if she is addressing her lyrics to somebody else. Musically, Mikk combines indie-pop, singer-songwriting and electronics, but the lyrics and the vocals remain in the foreground on all songs.    Heartbeat Heartbeat talks about the fragility and intimacy of on-off relationships. When together (ON), one’s heartbeat slows down. When apart (OFF) one feels as if running in circles hoping that white noise will fuel the rhythm (again), so that the relationship can proceed in its frequencies and equal intensities. As on-off relationships have no clear beginnings nor endings, the song builds on repetitive, never-ending guitar-, beat- and synth loops, which recreate the sound of a beating heart. Heaven There’s heaven waiting for you – what a statement. Heaven is a song filled with hope and longing. Choir parts and sounds of the hang try to lift the listener to a higher ground, somewhere up in the clouds, trying to reach heaven.  The lyrics of the song invite the other to get involved with each other to reach a higher ground together to enjoy and celebrate the heavenly moments true love brings. Lights On What is real, what is just an illusion? Daring it or letting it be? Sometimes it feels beautiful and real, out of the blue it seems as if you are standing in the dark feeling small and vulnerable. The song “Lights On“ talks about a part of a relationship in which you don’t know /yet/ where the journey is going. Will it lead to a stable bond or will it bring pain instead? On the way to clarity, one often feels deceived or torn. Sooner or later, you only want one thing: to shed light upon this seemingly dark unclarity.   Behind With a slightly deeper voice, acoustic guitar, warm bass and synth sounds, Behind is a song about letting go in which Mikk reflects on a relationship with toxic dynamics. All the things you said to me, the parts you projected onto me… I drown them all in the sea…. Repetitive voice loops remind the listener that letting go can become a reoccurring process in which one needs a lot of patience and strength to be able to let go completely.   Wild Ocean In her first single, Mikk describes the toxic dynamics of a rebound-relationship and the ups and downs of getting involved into a relationship you’d rather not be part of.  Through melancholic guitar and synth sounds “Wild Ocean“ reveals wavelike phrases such as You entered me left you left me Behind your restless mind to bring to the shore how the relationship to oneself also influences the relationships to the people around. One who disregards one’s own needs due to restlessness not only abandons himself/herself, but also those close to him/her.     Won’t come close An ode to the fear of intimacy. The song was written during a long Covid quarantine. Reduced to vocals and guitar, disappointment and radical acceptance are packed into one song with the message: “Don’t worry, I get it. I won’t come close.“