Sacha Mullin drops new album ‘Social Touch’

Chicago-based singer-songwriter Sacha Mullin has spent more than a decade creating a musical output that flows across an array of genres and styles. Known for his commanding yet emotive vocal delivery, expansive range and compositions that move between jazz, intensity and ethereal experimentation, Sacha has built a catalogue that reflects an adventurous creative spirit. While comparisons to David Sylvian and Jeff Buckley have appeared in discussions of his work, his own influences stretch across the distinctive songwriting worlds of Kate Bush, Joni Mitchell, Yoko Kanno and Sugababes, offering a more revealing window into the scope of his musical imagination.

He first introduced his solo work with 2013’s debut album, Whelm, beginning a journey that’s since attracted attention from an increasingly varied collection of critics and broadcasters. His albums, produced by Todd Rittmann, have earned praise from BBC Radio 6, WBEZ’s Vocalo, The Big Takeover and The Wire, who described his progressive approach to pop music as an ‘Alpine hike’ across an otherwise flat landscape, an image that captures the sense of discovery running throughout his work.

Beyond his solo recordings, Sacha has confirmed his status as a frequent collaborator whose voice travels across an incredible range of musical settings. His work has included performances with Bobby McFerrin, Dead Rider, Jeanne Arland and Patty Peterson, Travis Orbin and Dessa, while he’s also worked with bands including Cheer-Accident, Lovely Little Girls, American Draft, The Gabriel Construct and Guzzlemug, as well as the vocal trio Vitamin Drama.

His experience extends beyond the independent music circuit, encompassing session vocals, commercial and independent film work, and arts-consulting projects involving George Takei, Sia, Roddy Bottum and Sons of the Never Wrong. His voice has reached audiences through MTV, CBS, the Netherlands’ NPO and Japan’s NHK, while the late Julee Cruise was among those who championed his work. More recently, his recognition has included the Chicago Reader’s awards for Best Pop Artist and Best Music Teacher, marking an exciting moment for an artist whose decorated career has continued to go from strength to strength with each move.

Now, his fourth solo album titled Social Touch, produced by William Parker Wood, draws on Sacha’s experience across pop, jazz, rock and experimental music, bringing those different strands into a more direct pop setting. Social Touch brings Sacha’s unmistakable voice into a more accessible framework, creating a new entry point into a catalogue built through years of experimentation. Opening with “Joy,” the laid back patter of drums and soft instrumental tones underpin Sacha’s bright vocal leads, serving up an instantly memorable slice of jazz-tinged art pop that’s guaranteed to put a smile on your face.

“Don’t Wanna Hurt U” forms with shimmering synth flickers, warm guitar tones and steady drums as Sacha’s expressive voice glides above the breezy rhythmic backdrop to deliver an engaging alternative pop jam that puts his sonic range on full display. The album’s lead single, “Hypocenter,” is propulsive in its approach and features returning collaborator Emily Bindiger, whose credits include Leonard Cohen and Cowboy Bebop. Rolling with pulsing synth energy, rustling drums and theatrical vocal performance, it’s an epic musical experience that’s exhilarating, infectious and wholly absorbing from start to finish.

Tracks like “Mime” lean into dance-focused areas with a grooving beat of crisp percussion, fluttering synth flashes and woozy vocal leads forming a mesmeric and energising musical moment. Title track “Social Touch” glides with a dreamy blend of synth and guitar as Sacha’s smooth voice hovers above to deliver a charming sound that’s highly original and subtly dramatic. “Odd Radio Circle” simmers with hazy synth textures and hushed vocals as tapped percussion gradually builds up the energy while twinkling tones glow alongside Sacha’s alluring vocals.

The album closes with two bonus tracks, with “Let’s Cruise!” landing with a slick bass groove before slipping into a moody, funk-inflected outing capped by impassioned vocal performance. Closing the release with “Tall Ask,” clapped rhythms and jaunty arrangement flow with delicate vocals to present a superb finale to Sacha’s epic new album. With Social Touch, Sacha Mullin isn’t leaving his experimental instincts behind so much as finding new ways to channel them. After more than a decade of collaborations, genre-crossing projects and critically recognised solo releases, he opens a new chapter that brings his distinctive vocal presence closer to the centre of pop, while preserving the unpredictability that’s defined his journey thus far.

Listen to Social Touch below