Coming off of his first solo performance at Wonzimer Gallery in LA this past Friday the 13th, Nicaraguan-American singer and producer Daniel Noah Miller has dropped his second solo single to date, “Typical.” Primarily known as one half of indie pop duo Lewis Del Mar, which he started with childhood friend Max Harwood, Miller recently endeavored into solo material after Lewis Del Mar dropped their BOUQUET EP in 2021.
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While “Typical” might seem minimal on paper, the single reveals an ocean of experimentation emphasizing Miller’s talents as a forward-thinking artist.
Co-written and co-produced by Miller, the song employs multiple techniques that make for a unique sonic texture, whether reversing the instruments or altering the volume. At the start of the track, drums ricochet around the reverbed guitar, transitioning into the desperate vocals yearning for something more out of life. Distant electronic sounds eventually come through like shrapnel, resulting in a vacuum-like effect that gradually surrounds you until fading away.
Similar to previous single “Otherway,” “Typical” comes alongside a video of Miller performing live. However, the documentary visuals capture him in his natural habitat: surrounded by instruments in a studio. Initially, he messes around with various instruments before jumping into the song. It doesn’t take long to notice the video performance differs from the released version, with an extended intro and other surprises that are so significant it could count as a different song altogether.
Contrary to its title, “Typical” is an atypical song due to it not utilizing Miller’s usual tape loop approach to the production, among other reasons. “‘Typical’ is the last song I wrote for the album. The project had more or less taken shape, but it felt like something was missing,” said Miller. “So, I wrote ‘Typical’ to myself (or maybe some version of myself that felt like I was abandoning during this process; a version that played small and didn’t fully respect me).”
Between “Typical” and “Otherway,” there’s a clear throughline in the two releases, both of which are attached to the Lewis Del Mar name and come from an upcoming album yet to be formally announced. Through live shows, Miller has been testing out the waters of unreleased songs, deconstructing each one to its bare bones and then creating something new out of the rubble. That level of unpredictability from Miller makes for an exciting artistic output, with the only thing that’s for sure being a promising final product.
Words: David Sosa
“Typical” by Daniel Noah Miller is out on all streaming services. For more on new music and ]live shows, follow him on Instagram and his website.
