Interviews
The Space Between: Mild Minds' journey from MOOD to GEMINI
The artist shares insights of his creative process in this exclusive interview
In an era where electronic music often prioritizes dancefloor utility over emotional depth, Benjamin David, better known as Mild Minds, is charting a different course. As he prepares to release his sophomore album 'GEMINI' via ODESZA's Foreign Family Collective, David is crafting a sonic bridge between the organic and digital worlds, reimagining turn-of-the-century club sounds through a lens of introspection and melancholy.
"I'd rather fail having fun than succeed while hating the process.” It's this philosophy that has guided him from his GRAMMY®-nominated beginnings to his forthcoming album 'GEMINI'. By merging early 2000s club aesthetics with contemporary production and raw emotion, David is crafting more than just music – he's creating a bridge between nostalgia and innovation.
From his breakthrough in 2018 to his current status as an innovative force in electronic music, Mild Minds has consistently pushed boundaries, earning comparisons to artists like Bonobo and Four Tet while maintaining his unique identity. Now, with over 300 million streams and a new record label under his belt, David sits down with Mixmag Brazil to discuss his artistic evolution, the pressures of a sophomore album, and finding warmth in an increasingly digital world.
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Q+A: Mild Minds
Your new album 'GEMINI' explores the intersection of human emotion and digital progress. What inspired this thematic direction?
Mild Minds: 'GEMINI' came out of my reflections on how digital progress is reshaping human connection. We’re in this surreal space where we're more connected and yet often feel more alone, and that duality felt like an important theme to explore. The album looks at how technology shapes emotions, both enhancing and complicating them.
You've mentioned the pressure of creating a sophomore album. How did you maintain your artistic authenticity while meeting expectations?
Yeah this is the first time I've started to feel those pressures. There's simply no way to meet all expectations really unless you were to survey everyone and average it out - or stick extremely close to the key songs you're known for - both seem really counterintuitive for most artists.
So I just like to stick to my MO for this project which is make whatever I’m into for that period and not to overthink it. It's good to get this one out of my system as it has a bunch of sounds and production ideas I've wanted to explore for a long time.
The album incorporates elements from early 2000s club music. What drew you to this era, and how does it relate to current electronic music trends?
In a general sense I look back fondly at that era for many reasons, the way we saw the world before we became so online and how music/life felt to me when I only had limited options to discover and everything felt new. So I decided to delve into that era more to see what I could find from the underground dance world, something I wasn’t that into at the time.
Musically it had this raw, ravey unpolished energy that I think we’re starting to crave again as electronic music has become so refined and polished in recent years. I wanted to re contextualize those sounds into a modern emotional context. For me, those sounds felt like they could bring an emotional layer to 'GEMINI' that bridges nostalgia with the present moment in electronic music.
What's the significance of naming the album 'GEMINI'? How does duality play into your creative process?
Something about the word and the symbol really reminded me of that era. I'm also a gemini - despite not connecting with “astrology” I have met a lot of Gemini that feel like some kind of twin. There's also a human vs digital duality to the album which the word can represent.
Brazil has a rich electronic music culture. How do you see your music resonating with Brazilian audiences?
From what I’ve heard Brazil has such a vibrant, passionate electronic scene, and I think there’s something universal in the energy I try to bring to my music that I hope Brazilian audiences connect with.
Your new label MOODS INTL. launched this year. How does being a label owner influence your perspective as an artist?
Honestly not too much, I think it’s being an artist that helps me with the label! I've always been empathetic to the journey of an artist and wary of all the ways that the big labels can basically scam you and even hold you back. There's a joy in helping others build themselves into a place where they can have their own independent careers eventually.
Which Brazilian electronic artists have influenced your work?
Back in the 2010’s we actually had a lot of connections with Brazilian music such as CSS, The Twelves, Bonde do Role when we were making indie dance music.
How has your creative process evolved since your debut album 'MOOD'?
It’s more that the sound has evolved. I still try to make music in a similar way. It’s as simple as jumping in the studio and having fun with whatever im into.
You've mentioned removing pressure during the creative process. How do you maintain creative freedom while meeting audience expectations?
I think you just have to ride that line, don’t jump genres, keep your personal voice and emotion in the music. Acts like Caribou or Toro y moi are good examples of making each new album a new sound whilst making music that is obviously theirs. When you’re playing around with influences without trying to be something in particular then that happens naturally.
Your music often bridges different electronic genres. How do you maintain cohesion while experimenting with various styles?
Haha im not sure if I do. I'd like to think I have enough experience and a good idea that I wouldn’t make anything too crazy.
Can you discuss the role of artificial intelligence and technology in your creative process?
ChatGPT has also been useful for research and learning. As well as bouncing lyric ideas back and fourth. Generatively, I have started to use it to explore ideas and expand on ideas.
When it comes to generative platforms I may input a vocal and have it extend it, then chop and sample parts from that, “remix” the voice. Or extend an early musical idea which opens my mind.
This is all really new stuff, but I am hearing about a lot of artists I know experimenting with it and honestly making some amazing things they couldn’t have otherwise been able to do.
It’s hard to explain to outsiders that it can create something better than a human in many cases but it’s a tool but I think people will start to see eventually.
Ultimately if anyone should be worried it’d be people like me as it wont be long til anyone can make a great song with a few clicks, it’s basically there. We’ll have to look for other ways to stand out.
The album's visual identity features stark gallery rooms with transparent screens. What message are you trying to convey?
We were trying to flash back to an early 2000s aesthetic as a nod to the era that I would be taking from. Lots of pink, silver, white and blues.
Your upcoming tour includes numerous dates across North America. What can audiences expect from your upcoming live performances?
Me playing my songs! Some nice visuals also.
As a GRAMMY®-nominated artist, how do you balance commercial success with artistic innovation?
Happens without thought for me as ive always leaned towards alt pop, so whatever I make often, no matter the influence it tends to touch on that.
Also when it comes to commercial success it’s a matter of luck and time too, you always make what is artistically you - sometimes you win sometimes you lose.
I’ve learned time in the game (music) is really what impacts the amount of success you have, I think for most artists doing ok you only have really big moments only every 5-10 years and there's a lot of waiting in between.
Looking ahead, how do you see electronic music evolving in an increasingly digital world?
Hard to call, but AI opens a lot of doors at a time where we have kind of reached our musical technology limit. We’ll be able to create things we never had access to.
I also think due to AI a lot of music will lose its value, but good music will still stand out as it always does.
There will likely be more artists to compete with as people with good ideas wont have to train to get good.
But I think it will also lift the quality of the top 10% of music, for the same reasons.
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Imagens: Divulgação
