Australian guitarist Adam Miller is set to release his latest album, Unify, on August 7, 2020. Recorded in Los Angeles in December of 2019, Unify features prominent LA musicians with bassist Joel Gottschalk and drummer Justin Glasco. Composed entirely by Miller, these songs are born from the adventure of settling not only into a new city, but a new country, drawing from both the incredible highs and the seemingly mundane. The album is equally influenced by the current Los Angeles jazz scene and the Australian pub rock scene of Miller’s hometown, Newcastle.

The album title comes at a time when positivity is greatly needed. Miller says, “Because the album was written in the uncertainty of moving and big life changes, all my working titles ended up with negative connotations. And there really is a great joy and optimism to this album; so instead of naming it about things falling apart, I named it for everything coming together – Unify – which is really how I feel about my music right now.”

After almost a decade of constant international touring, Miller decided to make the move to Los Angeles in January 2019. Being asked to perform at one of Mason Stoops’ infamous GuiTaco nights shortly after with Charlie Hunter, Adam Levy, Ariel Posen, and others led to many press and touring opportunities, plus the introduction to drummer/producer Justin Glasco. Glasco continued Miller’s introduction to the LA musician’s scene, watching heroes perform morning cafe gigs, and jamming in East LA garages. “Their pursuit of music just floored me,” Miller gushes. “There are so many great musicians who are still open to learning, collaborating, and expanding their horizons. I couldn’t help but be highly motivated by the enthusiasm and work ethic everyone had.”

Miller then enlisted Glasco and Gottschalk to play the small clubs and bars of LA, giving the trio a chance to explore new material in front of audiences. Miller also toured extensively across the USA, allowing him to further develop the melodic and structural elements of the new compositions.

A mid-year tour back to Australia injected the songs with the raw intensity required to cut it in Aussie pubs to rowdy audiences. This coupled with the refined influence of LA saw Miller’s two musical worlds integrating for a cohesive album, serving as Miller’s Los Angeles debut.

Unify showcases Miller’s electric guitar playing, while two tracks (“Shipping” and “Citrus”) were performed on an acoustic archtop. This is very much a trio record, with the bands’ live interaction only being occasionally supplemented with acoustic guitar rhythm and creative effect pedal based soundscapes. The album has a melodic focus with a subtle harmonic complexity driven by a groove and attitude.

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