Last year, I saw Miki Berenyi Trio live at the Fonda in Hollywood and, since then, have been waiting for the British indie group’s debut full-length. Tripla came out on Friday, April 4, and was well worth the wait. The tl;dr version is it’s fantastic. Get it, but don’t expect a rehash of the 1990s. Keep reading if you want more details.
MB3 is named for Miki Berenyi, former guitarist and singer for Lush and author of the must-read memoir Fingers Crossed, but it isn’t a solo project. The trio is rounded out by KJ “Moose” McKillop, and Oliver Cherer. All three musicians share songwriting duties and that’s reflected in the album’s title, which is Hungarian for triple. Still, Berenyi is the most recognizable member of MB3.
For readers who weren’t around in the ‘90s, Lush was a well-known band in its heyday, even here in the U.S. Their songs were played on alternative radio stations like KROQ in L.A. and their videos were all over MTV’s 120 Minutes. They played Lollapalooza in 1992, on a lineup that also included Red Hot Chili Peppers, Soundgarden, Pearl Jam, Ministry, Ice Cube and Jesus and Mary Chain. Their 1996 single “Ladykillers” was an indie club hit that endured long after the band split that same year. (Lush briefly reunited in the mid-’10s.) In fact, you may still hear DJs drop it in a set here and there.
All this is for context. I don’t think it’s particularly fair or accurate to compare MB3 to Lush because life goes on and musicians shouldn’t be expected to be frozen in time just so that fans can relive their high school or college years. However, there is a distinct vibe that connects these two very different bands. It’s in Tripla’s album cover, an abstract blue and green image designed by Chris Bigg and using a photo by Martin Andersen, both of whom had collaborated with Lush. The vibe somewhat carries over into the music as well. You’ll know it when you hear the layered vocals with Berenyi hitting the high notes. It’s an album that is recognizably part of her body of work, but is also it’s own thing.
What stands out immediately about Tripla is that it’s as much a dance album as it is a dreampop-leaning rock album. There’s a hint of that in Berenyi and McKillop’s previous band, Piroshka, but the club elements are more developed on MB3’s debut. Opener “8th Deadly Sin,” which is about environmental degradation, gradually builds into a very danceable song, a bit like a DJ playing the warm up set.
“Big I Am,” is a jam and maybe a spiritual successor to “Ladykillers” with lyrics that dig into online macho bro culture (“Flash, cash, muscles and car/Wants to be a superstar/Baby’s trying too hard/Empty head and empty heart”). There’s a similar theme running through Gang of Four-influenced “Gango,” where Berenyi describes the sexists of social media and sings, “Just shut up and listen.” I have a real appreciation for Berenyi’s candor in both lyrics and her memoir and that shines through in “Gango.” The Internet Life is Weird thread of songs continues on “Ubique,” which closes the album. “Ubique” addresses social media narcissism in a way that certainly everyone has seen, and maybe participated in, at some point with lines like “words only exist in response/filtered through my desires” and “pay attention/my reaction.”
Overall, Tripla is a very strong debut from Miki Berenyi Trio and, whether or not you know anything about the musician’s previous projects, it’s absolutely worth your time. MB3 is playing Los Angeles on October 28. I know, that’s a long way out, but it’s at The Roxy and that place is tiny, so maybe make sure you’re free that Tuesday and get tix asap.
Get Tripla by Miki Berenyi Trio.
Liz O. is an L.A.-based writer and DJ. Read her recently published work and check out her upcoming gigs or listen to the latest Beatique Mix. Follow on Instagram or Bluesky for more updates.
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