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· Conor Welsch
Mixtapes are meant to wander. They blur the lines between polished studio records and loose collections, pulling together covers, collaborations, and originals into something that feels both familiar and fresh. Trip Tape III leans into that tradition, giving us a snapshot of Milky Chance at their most open, experimental, and quietly confident.
At eleven tracks and just over half an hour, Trip Tape III mixes new originals with live sessions and unexpected covers. “Camouflage” and “Safari” show off their knack for groove and texture. “What Did You Mean By Love” brings in Theo Katzman for one of the record’s warmest collaborations. Covers like “Wonderful Life” and “Million Dollar Baby” are less imitation, more reinterpretation, filtered through the band’s laid back pulse.
The tape never chases perfection. Instead, it moves like a playlist, unhurried and wide-ranging, shifting between mellow introspection and playful reinvention.
Clemens Rehbein’s voice remains the band’s anchor - raspy, easygoing, yet always carrying a little gravity. The arrangements stay simple on the surface, but small touches keep them interesting: acoustic guitar tucked under synths, percussion that feels just loose enough, production that lets air and space do half the work.
It is music built for windows down, or quiet nights in, or anywhere you want sound to keep you company without demanding too much.
“Wonderful Life” is a standout cover, expanding into something lush and open - perfect for the warm crackle of vinyl.
“Naked and Alive (Live Session)” captures the energy of a small venue, proof that even stripped back, Milky Chance carry the room.
“Bigger Than Us” closes with scope, letting the whole collection end on something wide and reflective.
Pressed right, Trip Tape III would work beautifully on wax: matte jacket, collage artwork hinting at its mixtape roots, maybe even a lyric insert to tie the loose ends together.
Trip Tape III doesn’t reinvent Milky Chance, and that is not its aim. It is a collection that embraces looseness, revisits past strengths, and tries on a few new shapes along the way. For longtime fans it is a comfort listen, for new ones it is a gentle way in.
Best Spins: “Wonderful Life,” “Naked and Alive (Live Session),” “What Did You Mean By Love”
For Fans Of: Angus & Julia Stone, The Paper Kites, Alt-J, Xavier Rudd
If You’re Into This, Try:
Saltwater – Geowulf
Wilderado – Wilderado
Lost in a Dream – The War on Drugs
This Is How Tomorrow Moves – Beabadoobee