The Fun Reminder

“Dancey music will always be coveted by people.... It’s this inevitable thing about the human heartbeat and how we relate to rhythms,” says Keith Milgaten of electro-pop trio Jamuel Saxon over a beer at Small Bar in University Heights. “I’m not really into dance music, but I’ve found it’s a way to connect with people, so I’ve tried to maintain that while adding the elements of a live band.... I’m trying to please everybody by having both [electronic and live] worlds there.”

Golden Hill resident Milgaten (ex-Vision of a Dying World) teamed up with Writer brothers Jayme and Andy Ralph on drums and bass for upcoming San Diego shows, mini tours, and recording.

“There are certain people who just don’t like to see a guy with a laptop, and there are some people who love that,” says Milgaten, who was nominated for Best Electronic at the 2009 San Diego Music Awards. “If you can please both those people, you’re much better off.”

Milgaten describes his sound as being somewhere between pre-Utopian-core and intelligent dance music.

“[The Writer brothers] and I have been crossing paths for the past five years or so,” says Milgaten, an occasional sound guy at Soda Bar in City Heights. “We jammed in December and it sounded awesome. We have about eight songs we play as the full band now.... I’d been feeling lazy with my music, but these guys really showed me the level of professionalism-slash-having-fun-with-it that they’re at. They reminded me that practicing music is a lot of fun.”

The current lineup is recording “a fun summertime EP,” The Prolly Shores, at Jayme’s North Park home studio to be released in the next few months. In the meantime, Milgaten will be releasing a ten-song album, Landmines & Chandeliers, June 18 at an all-age soft-release show at the Park Gallery with Rafter and Shaky Hands. The official release event is June 25 at Whistle Stop in South Park with Treasure Mammal.