Milow (Milow)

Album review

Belgian singer/songwriter Milow released his debut single, "One of It," in 2005 and reached Top Ten success in his homeland in 2007 with his breakout hit, "You Don't Know," yet it wasn't until 2009 that he crossed over to international success with "Ayo Technology." A tongue-in-cheek folk-pop cover version of 50 Cent and Justin Timberlake's dirty rap hit from 2007, "Ayo Technology" became something of a novelty hit for Milow, as it topped the singles charts in several Western European countries and reached the Top Five in several others. Its video was also a sensation on YouTube, garnering tens of millions of views. Milow was compiled for release in the midst of the international success of "Ayo Technology" in a bid to establish the Belgian singer/songwriter as more than a novelty act. The 15-track compilation opens with "Ayo Technology" and then recaps the highlights of Milow's career to date, starting with the single version of his breakout hit, "You Don't Know," which was a number three hit on the Belgian charts. "You Don't Know" is one of just three songs culled from Milow's 2006 full-length album debut, The Bigger Picture (where it was originally featured in a more stripped-down arrangement than the radio-friendly version compiled here). The other two songs from The Bigger Picture are "One of It" and "Born in the Eighties," both of which are standout songs. The remainder of Milow is comprised of all 11 songs from his second album, the chart-topping Coming of Age (2008), which spawned a couple hits with "Dreamers and Renegades" and "The Ride." In essence, Milow is a deluxe edition of Coming of Age with a handful of bonus tracks and new packaging. While it might have been better to balance out this compilation with more material from The Bigger Picture, not to mention some B-sides (the acoustic version of "You Don't Know" or the live recording of Bruce Springsteen's "Thunder Road" found on the You Don't Know EP, for instance), Milow is nonetheless an excellent entry point for those interested in hearing more from this witty singer/songwriter than simply "Ayo Technology."
© Jason Birchmeier /TiVo