Michael Mildren began playing electronic music by manipulating his Dad’s shortwave radio as a boy. At the age of 15 he bought a Roland Strings101 to play in a new wave band and has been making experimental and beat-oriented electronic music ever since. As well as composing music for theatre and short films, Michael has played keyboards in bands including The Escalators, Joe Geia Band, Randy and Jah roots, Safika and more.
Throughout the 90s Michael focused on his solo techno act Ectoplasm, playing live regularly at events such as the Big Day Out Boiler Room and Earthcore. He released his work independently, contributed remixes for artists such as Spiderbait and performed live-to-air on 3RRR, 3PBS, JJJ, ABC Radio National and ABC FM.
In the 2000s Michael shifted his focus to orchestral composition, composing the 40-minute piece Lunar Cycle I-IV. His composition Slow doof for orchestra was performed by Melbourne Grammar Symphony Orchestra in 2013.
In the last couple of years Michael has shifted his focus back to electronic music. In 2015 Michael and his son Max performed their live show Men/Machine for the Melbourne Fringe, featuring versions of Kraftwerk songs performed with 1970s electronic music technology. A new track ‘Music Electronic’ has been included on the compilation Analogue Redux.
Currently he is at work recording tracks for release on Clan Analogue and is preparing to perform at Analogue Processes.
Michael also works full-time as a Music Practitioner in Aged Care facilities. His work of 24 years in this field was the subject of Twilight Songs, an episode of Compass screened in 2014 on ABC TV.
RELEASES ON CLAN ANALOGUE RECORDINGS:
CA054: Distance: Sounds for an Empty Space | Various Artists
CA049C: Michael Mildren | Process 3: Free Electronic
CA049B: Michael Mildren | Process 2: Post-Kraft
CA049A: Michael Mildren | Process 1: Studies in Kraft
CA046: Analogue Redux | Various Artists
CA045: Gear Shift | Various Artists