The Milk Blossoms at Globe Hall 01/09/20

Anyone who has been involved in the Denver music scene, either as a fan or a band member, knows The Milk Blossoms. The trio, known for their enchanting and dark combination ukulele, expressive beatboxing, and piano, create pop music that is otherworldly.

The Milk Blossoms, comprised of  Harmony Rose, Michelle Rocqet, and Blair Larson, took to the stage at Globe Hall on Thursday, January 9 in their first headlining show of the year. The room was buzzing with conversation as artists from other local Denver bands came out to support the beloved trifecta of experimental, dark pop. From the opening notes of their 60-minute set, the crowd settled in and got ready to have their minds blown, again.

Playing songs off their more recent 2018 release, Dry Heave the Heavenly, as well as their 2015 debut, Worrier, Rose on main vocals calls out like a siren of vulnerability through an unwavering command over her instrument. Weaving in the softness of a melodic ukulele, she invites her listeners into an almost aromatic ascent of the senses.

Rocqet is a fierce force to be reckoned with as she offers backup vocals for Rose, but is most known for her beatboxing and percussive manifestations. True, The Milk Blossoms have ditched the traditional use of a drum set; however, nothing is missing from their ability to capture the entire essence of necessary bass and beats. Songs swell with a tension for relief as Rose and Rocqet build and build, playing off of one another’s dimensional deliveries.

Rounding out the trio is keys player Larson who brings a subtly that is nuanced in both introversion and immersion. Crafting a foundation for the entire group, the imaginative chord progressions and transitions from builds and breaks are neither overpowering nor forgettable.

While melody, dark pop, experimentation and trip hop combined could all make for a discordant combination, The Milk Blossoms find a balance of harmony, accessibility, and agreement in their soundscape that is unlike anything else in the Denver scene.

*Photos by Veronica L. Holyfield