MIKA released at the end of May an exclusive limited-edition EP containing four new acoustic tracks, in anticipation of his second album to be released this autumn. For this EP, which features four songs 'Blue Eyes', 'Toy Boy', 'Lonely Alcoholic' and 'Lady Jane', MIKA worked with Owen Pallet (Final Fantasy and Arcade Fire). 'Songs For Sorrow' (this is the title) will be available on CD on 25 May with a special edition consisting of a beautiful book containing the CD with MIKA's four new tracks. Each track has been commissioned from some of MIKA's favourite artists and designers worldwide and each has created artwork based on their own personal interpretation of the songs. The book features new works by Peter Blake, Paul Smith, Es Devlin, Jim Woodring, Alber Elbaz (Lanvin), Al Columbia, Sophie Blackall, Jim Medway, David Mackie, Richard Hogg, DaWack, Nilesh Mystry, Kerasacoet, Tao Nyeu, Richard Hogg, Huck Scarry and Walter Van Beirendonck.
Prior to the publication of the book, three tracks from 'Songs for Sorrow' will be available for download on 14 May exclusively on MIKA's website. If you pop over to www.mikasounds.com you can find a completely revamped website and listen to two of the tracks from the EP. The book is a beautifully designed hardcover edition and will be sold exclusively on www.mikasounds.com and in Paul Smith shops worldwide.
The EP will be followed by a short acoustic tour in a series of very special locations: in Italy MIKA will perform on Saturday 6 June in Milan, Teatro Franco Parenti.
Tickets will be available on the TicketOne circuit from 14 May and then in the usual Barley Arts Promotion outlets.
Recently 1,500 people queued up to grab free tickets for an acoustic show in Los Angeles, tickets that MIKA personally distributed from his ice cream van in Beverly Hills!
MIKA tells "When I rolled up my sleeves and started writing my second album, I thought the best thing was to proceed step by step, and so first came the EP, which was a collection of acoustic tracks entitled 'Songs For Sorrow'. It was good for me to simplify things, to go back to basics. The idea for the book came from the lyrics of these songs, which are like dark fairy tales: I thought it might be a great idea to accompany them with illustrations by asking some of my favourite artists to give their interpretation to these stories.'
MIKA will release his second studio album at the end of the summer. Written and co-produced by MIKA himself, this new album has been in the works for two years and was recorded between London and Los Angeles. MIKA's debut album 'Life In Cartoon Motion' sold over 5 million copies worldwide and went platinum worldwide (including Italy) as well as a Brit Award and a Grammy nomination.
MIKA - ACOUSTIC LIVE - SATURDAY 6 JUNE 2009 - MILAN - TEATRO FRANCO PARENTI Start at 9 p.m. - Admission single unnumbered seat: 30€ + prev.
