A pop-jazz duo who won a Golden Melody Award for Best Vocal Collaboration in 2017 on the strength of a debut album blending Broadway and Old Shanghai, Mr. Miss turn to Europe for inspiration on their second album, Bedside Fugue. Weaving music from the French tradition—from chanson to mid-20th century songwriters—into their blend of big-band jazz, classical music and contemporary pop, lead vocalist Liu Lian and guitarist/vocalist Du Kai tell dramatic stories of modern-day urban life. Conceptualised as a series of dreamscapes, the album ushers listeners into fantasy worlds as close as the mind of a house cat and as remote as the furthest reaches of space. To enhance the songs’ sense of place, the duo took advantage of Spatial Audio technology, designing sounds that envelop listeners in an intimate embrace or impress them with the vastness of a cosmic voyage. Below, the duo share some of their thoughts on the album and the experience of producing it for Spatial Audio: Can you describe your thinking behind the stylistic changes on your second album? “The first album had a heavier Broadway influence, while this one has more of a European influence. We directly incorporated the romantic French chanson style into the music and also drew from European operettas. We also tried to trace back a little along the lineage between classical and pop music. The impact of artists like Charles Trenet, Marguerite Monnot and Michel Legrand might stand out a little more on this album. To really understand the romance of French music, we also reread classic 19th century literature—Victor Hugo, Stendhal and Balzac—which helped evoke the romanticism we were after.” There are some interesting humorous contrasts between the album’s sound and its lyrical content. Where does that fit into your style? “That contrast was inspired by traditional pop musicians—you find an inherent humorous tension in the work of 1930s lyricists like Cole Porter and Lorenz Hart, for example. We combed through all of their lyrics—they may be old, but they have an ageless inspiration.” You songs bring to life lots of different characters. Was it difficult to develop characters in short songs? “The length of a song does limit the scope for literary development, but a sense of drama can compensate for that. We like reading classic narrative poems like the Divine Comedy and Faust, as well as the short, concise poems in Shakespeare’s plays that are immediately engaging. I think that contemporary pop lyrics inherit from this tradition. We also drew inspiration from the folk-influenced Old Shanghai style of songwriting, which provides powerful examples of how to concisely and directly introduce characters and story.” Tell us about the thinking behind the three “Fugue” tracks on the album. “We attempted to design this album for the concept of ‘bedside dreamscapes’, with each song setting a specific dream scene for the listener. The ‘fugue’ tracks were meant to have the feel of movie soundtracks. Imagine they’re a dream’s background music, or else programme music for entry into a dream—or whatever else you’d like.” Given how rich this album’s arrangement is, how did you approach the process of designing it for Spatial Audio? “A new and innovative way of creating sound like Spatial Audio fits well with the atmosphere we were going for—a sense of science fiction and cosmic psychedelia. We wanted the listener to be transported into a different ‘dream space’ in every song. Maybe you’re fond of the hypnotic tick-tock of an orbiting clock, or horns blowing in out in the vastness of the universe, being surrounded by jazzy big-band choruses or wandering psychedelic Hawaiian guitars. Or even the sound of snoring in your ear... “In addition to those interesting sounds, we also paid special attention to acoustic instruments—the strings, brass and harp—to ensure their tonal texture within a richer and looser spatial arrangement. On a technical level, Spatial Audio allowed for more natural dynamics.” What three songs would you recommend in Spatial Audio and why? “‘Queen of Your Own’: In this one we took a different approach to sound design by surrounding you on all sides with jazzy big-band vibes and backing vocals. You really are the centre of this song, so put on your crown! “‘Who Knows’: Grand symphonic music mixed in Spatial Audio really gives a sense of being enveloped in a space. If you feel like you’re in a concert hall—or you’ve stepped into an old movie—that’s what we want to hear. “‘Lost in Deep Space’: On this track you might find yourself wandering through space to the sound of psychedelic Hawaiian guitar. And you might notice some sonic details that aren’t so apparent in the stereo mix.”