Mylo

Mylo is the recording name of Scottish electronic musician and producer Myles MacInnes, born in 1978. He is from Broadford in the United Kingdom and is associated with downtempo and electronic music. The name also refers to an American rapper from Los Angeles, but the electronic musician is the main act identified here.

Background

MacInnes grows up on the Isle of Skye in Scotland, then spends time in London, Paris, Oxford and Los Angeles before returning to Scotland in 2001 to focus on making music. His early listening ranges from charity shop records to artists such as Squarepusher, Serge Gainsbourg, Steely Dan, Toto, Zongamin and Franz Ferdinand, alongside influences he describes from West Coast American music.

Recording career

He begins sending out demos in 2001 and chooses to work independently, with support from friends helping to establish Breastfed Music. His debut album, Destroy Rock & Roll, is released in 2003 and becomes the record most associated with his name. The album combines club-oriented production with guitar-driven and melodic elements, and includes tracks such as “Destroy Rock & Roll”, “Muscle Car”, “Drop The Pressure”, “Sunworshipper”, “Need You Tonight” and “In My Arms”. It reaches near-platinum status in the UK and produces four top 20 singles.

Reputation and collaborations

By 2006, Mylo has a major label deal with Sony BMG for releases in the US and Canada, and his work is described by some commentators as one of the defining electronic releases of the period. The album is compared with records by Air, Daft Punk and Röyksopp, and it is cited by figures including Elton John as an album of the year. He also becomes known for remixes for Scissor Sisters, The Killers, Kylie Minogue and The Knife.

Live work

Mylo performs live with a band rather than alone. His touring line-up includes Mylo on keys, William Threlfall on synths and guitar, Lewis Harley on bass, Hector Macinnes on drums, and The Phantom providing visuals and appearing on larger DJ dates. These performances take him around the world, with numerous headline tours and festival appearances, and his DJ sets include a Coachella appearance in 2006 immediately after Madonna.