Sacha Mullin has today released his new album titled ‘Social Touch’. Pop music has spent decades trying to convince us that simplicity is the ultimate virtue, usually by handing us the same four chords, a chorus engineered for supermarket speakers, and lyrics that sound like they were assembled by an algorithm with commitment issues. Thankfully, Sacha Mullin has other plans. On ‘Social Touch’, the Chicago musician takes his considerable experience across pop, jazz, rock, and experimental music and channels it into a record that values accessibility without sacrificing personality. This is not an artist sanding down his edges to fit neatly into a playlist. Instead, Mullin makes a compelling case for pop music that can be immediately inviting while still keeping listeners on their toes.
The first track I listened to, ‘Hypocenter’, establishes the album’s intentions with cinematic tension, restless drum and bass propulsion, and an angular pop sensibility that refuses to sit still for too long. Mullin’s voice is the real attraction, shifting from intimate restraint to soaring intensity with the confidence of someone who understands precisely when to hold back and when to let the whole thing explode.
Emily Bindiger’s backing vocals add another dimension to the arrangement, enhancing its atmosphere without stealing the spotlight. It is a striking introduction that balances precision with genuine emotional urgency, proving that a song can be meticulously constructed without sounding like it has been assembled in a laboratory. If this is Mullin’s idea of making pop music more direct, the rest of the industry might want to pay attention.
What makes ‘Social Touch’ particularly satisfying is the sense that Mullin has arrived at this sound through curiosity rather than calculation. His background in adventurous groups like Cheer Accident and Lovely Little Girls informs an approach that embraces unexpected turns, unusual textures, and a willingness to challenge conventional songwriting instincts. Yet this is not some inaccessible exercise in musical self importance. Mullin understands the value of a memorable melody and the pleasure of a well placed hook.
The album’s pop orientation gives his ideas room to breathe, creating a lively tension between the familiar and the strange. He can be sophisticated without becoming stuffy, experimental without turning every song into homework, and emotionally expressive without resorting to the sort of lyrical theatrics that make you want to check whether the nearest fire exit is unlocked.
The promise of that balance extends to ‘Bed All Day,’ which offers another glimpse into Mullin’s ability to approach pop from an individual perspective. The accompanying dance remix by DJ Zeetus Lapetus, with its space disco funk sensibility, also points toward the playful possibilities within this material. Mullin’s musical world is broad enough to accommodate different interpretations without losing its identity, an increasingly valuable quality in a musical landscape where genre labels are often treated like restrictive zoning laws.
Producer William Parker Wood helps frame this more immediate side of Mullin’s artistry, allowing the songs to communicate clearly while preserving the character that distinguishes him from more conventional pop practitioners. There is a welcome sense of movement throughout the album’s concept, even in the idea behind its title, which suggests connection and human contact in a world that could use considerably more of both.
After more than two decades of developing his craft, Sacha Mullin deserves considerably more recognition than the phrase ‘Chicago underground favorite’ can comfortably provide. His work with an eclectic range of collaborators, his experience across radically different musical environments, and his reputation as both a gifted performer and educator all contribute to the depth of his artistic perspective. ‘Social Touch’ feels like a particularly rewarding expression of that accumulated experience, translating years of exploration into something immediate, engaging, and refreshingly difficult to pigeonhole.
Mullin has not abandoned his experimental instincts to make a pop record, nor has he buried his melodies beneath layers of unnecessary complication to prove how clever he is. He has found a productive middle ground where craftsmanship, personality, and emotional impact can coexist. In an industry that routinely mistakes predictability for accessibility, ‘Social Touch’ is a welcome reminder that pop music can still surprise us. Sacha Mullin makes the whole exercise look almost effortless, which is usually a good indication that an awful lot of work went into getting it right.
Featured image by Michael Izquiero.
About Sacha Mullin & ‘Social Touch’
For more than two decades, Sacha Mullin has quietly built one of Chicago’s most distinctive yet underrecognized bodies of work. Each release explores a different musical landscape, but all share meticulous craftsmanship, a willingness to continually develop his sound, emotionally charged songwriting, and a voice that moves from quiet precision to soaring intensity.
Mullin’s unconventional approach to music dates back to childhood. He studied the background music used in television programs, experimented on an out-of-tune family Wurlitzer piano, and created imaginary radio programs on cassette. As his interests expanded, he explored music across different periods, cultures, and styles.
The fourth solo album of Sacha, Social Touch, brings those qualities into a more direct and immediate pop setting. Produced by William Parker Wood, the record draws upon Mullin’s background in pop, jazz, rock, and experimental music without being confined to any single genre.
Mullin was named both Best Pop Artist and Best Music Teacher in the Chicago Reader’s 2024 Best of Chicago issue. Earlier in his career, he sang with a kaleidoscope of people, including Bobby McFerrin, Cory Wong, and Dessa, and has shared stages with the likes of Lightning Bolt, Sheila E., Guerilla Toss, and a prog-era Mitski. He’s also known to some for his tenures in avant-rock groups Cheer-Accident and Lovely Little Girls, and was championed by late friend Julee Cruise of Twin Peaks fame.
Social Touch follows Casino Wilderness Period, Mullin’s 2023 album produced by Todd Rittmann of U.S. Maple and Dead Rider. The album drew coverage from NPR, EARMILK, The Big Takeover, PROG Magazine, and WBEZ’s Vocalo, among others. Its expansive cast included engineer Gabriel Riccio and guest vocalists Emily Bindiger, Judi Vinar, Annmarie Cullen, and Mem Nahadr.
Rather than repeating the approach of that album, Social Touch moves Mullin’s distinctive voice into a decidedly more pop-oriented environment.
The album begins with “Hypocenter”. The single takes Mullin’s voice into dark, cinematic territory, pairing drum & bass propulsion with an angular pop sensibility. His vocals shift from intimate, finely controlled passages to sudden, soaring peaks. The song also features returning collaborator Emily Bindiger on backing vocals, whose wide-ranging career includes work with Leonard Cohen’s “Who by Fire” and Yoko Kanno’s Cowboy Bebop soundtrack.
The track offers the first taste of Social Touch’s sound and direction. “Hypocenter” will also be issued as a limited-edition colored-vinyl seven-inch backed with Mullin’s interpretation of Alexz Johnson’s “Voodoo.” The cover was recorded at the request of members of Johnson’s fan club in recognition of the fifteenth anniversary of her album of the same name. Mullin’s connection to Johnson’s music extends beyond this release. He previously recorded “Wishing on a Star” as a B-side, and the two performed Johnson’s “Let Me Fall” together impromptu during one of her appearances in Illinois.
Second single “Bed All Day” followed on October 2. Fellow Chicago Reader Best-of winner DJ Zeetus Lapetus also contributed a dance remix rooted in his self-described “space disco” funk.
LINKS:
https://www.sachamullin.com/
https://sachamullin.bandcamp.com/
https://facebook.com/mullinmusic
https://instagram.com/sachamullin