Theory Therapy 100: Millú
Immersive, introspective sounds for #100
I genuinely can’t think of anyone better to have on for the 100th mix in the series. Millú is one of Australia’s finest DJs and a pillar of the independent music scene here. She’s been such a big supporter of the label for many years now and is a huge source of inspiration for us, so it feels fitting to have her here for this milestone.
It’s funny how things can evolve. Back in 2019, Dan first suggested the idea of doing a mix series, and I had at best a vague outline of what it could be. I definitely had no idea it’d still be going nearly seven years later, let alone how much it would grow through everyone who’s contributed along the way.
Thank you to everyone who’s listened, contributed and helped make the series what it is over the years. I’m really grateful that it’s found its way into so many people’s lives, and I hope it’s brought a little more light into yours. Enjoy this extremely special one from Millú.
Hey Milly. How are you today?
I’m pretty good thanks, finally seeing the light and the end of the tunnel after a seemingly perpetual cold, and coincidentally the sun has just poked its way out from behind a big grey cloud.
What was the last song you listened to?
I’m currently listening to Shuttle358’s Understanding Wildlife LP - it has been doing a lovely job of soundtracking what was a grey and gloomy morning here in Melbourne. I’ve had it cranked really loud in the studio to drown out the rain.
Where do you most enjoy listening to music – at home, in a club, on the radio, travelling, somewhere else?
I feel like I listen to music almost as many waking hours as there are in my day, and I enjoy it in every context, but I do think there is something special about listening to music when in transit - on a plane, a train, a bike. I think it makes you notice things you might not otherwise, and can turn even the most mundane experiences into cinematic ones.
What inspires you at the moment – musically or otherwise?
I’ve been doing lots of field recording lately, and finding inspiration in the everyday sounds that surround me. I used to think I had to get out of the city and find really quiet environments to enjoy field recording, but more recently I have leant into the beauty in the chaos of busy soundscapes, and (sub)urban sounds - it’s helped shift my perspective of what can be tranquil! A friend gave me a copy of Ears To The Ground by Ben Murphy, and I’ve been really inspired reading so many different approaches to field recording and electronic music production.
How do you go about finding music for your shows? Are you constantly digging, or do you tend to have periods where you accumulate a lot of music and then work out where it fits?
I feel like my entire life is essentially digging for music in one way or another - you adopt a certain lens when you listen - be it for Full Circle, Companion or DJing. But I guess with radio there is this sense of responsibility to share new releases. Community radio plays such a unique role in the broader music ecosystem, and it’s an important platform to support and share new sounds. My approach usually centers around a couple of new tracks or releases I want to give space to each week. I shape the rest of the show around those points, pulling from the depths and weaving in older favourites. I don’t feel the need to hunt down two full hours of brand new music every week, it’s more about finding a natural balance between new stuff and songs I’ve loved for a long time that feel cohesive or tell a story together.
Is there an artist or album you listen to often that people might not expect based on the music you’re known for playing?
I listen to so much music that I don’t necessarily DJ! Records in constant heavy rotation on the home system include Pharoah Sanders, Neil Young, Moin, Keith Jarrett, Alice Coltrane. I just love music.
Talk us through your Theory Therapy mix – where did it come together, and what kind of headspace were you in when you made it? Was there a particular idea, feeling or thread you had in mind when putting the mix together, or did it reveal itself as you went?
I knew I wanted to make a mix for solo listening, a sort of mind massage but with moments of energy and groove. I feel like my mixes are often emotionally charged, and I lean heavily into that tenderness - be that for better or worse. I use music as an escape but also as a way to process and acknowledge whatever I’m feeling inside. There is something cathartic about letting a track pull those emotions to the surface, and I hope that this mix can do something of the same for whoever listens to it.
I recorded it in the studio I share with Tarquin and Valya (YL Hooi) in Brunswick. The studio is pretty chaotic at the moment, so I definitely tried to find a sense of calm in the music. I approached this mix much the way I do radio - I guess it’s more of a collage or soundscape than a DJ mix per se.
Where would you recommend listening to the mix?
In fresh air.
What’s something exciting coming up in your life – music or otherwise – that you’re looking forward to?
My partner and I have been working on our garden for the last couple of years. We started with a proper blank slate - a very Coburg backyard with not much more than lawn and concrete. Together we’ve turned it into a native garden full of indigenous plants, a natural pond, and lots of gum trees. We’ve already seen such big changes to the biodiversity - dragonflies, butcher birds, butterflies and native bees. I’m excited for the spring, and to watch it grow into itself.
And finally, what’s one record you think everyone should hear right now?
crank by crank