Milan W. is no longer a post officer. The Belgian artist (real name: Milan Warmoeskerken), whose brooding 2024 album Leave Another Day remains a crucial listen, especially as fall rolls around, used to balance his life as a musician with a day job as a mailman. Though he is no longer pushing letters in the Antwerpian streets, he told us that the job gave him a new sense of perspective that no doubt has been carried—no pun intended—to the next phase of his life. We talked to him about all of that and more. Read the article and listen to his newest record below. Milan W. plays tonight at Nowadays in New York City as part of an evening of music presented by Nina and the Belgian label Stroom.

What have you been working on since Leave Another Day came out? Have you been in the studio much?

Milan W.: A bit, just trying to stay busy in between shows. Squeezing some leftovers of Leave Another Day out of my system, recording some guitar or melodies as voice memos. Trying to figure out what I would like to do on my next album, but no pressure! 

Could you tell us about the live show you have built in the wake of that record?

Most of the time we play in trio with Elko Blijweert on acoustic guitar, and Martha Maieu on keys and vocals. I play electric guitar, some sax, and I sing. The rest is running along on a backing track. It stays true to the atmosphere of the album but has enough of a live aspect with freedom to improvise ... I’ve been thinking of a band but I guess that would’ve changed the music completely (and it was a lot easier and cheaper). For the upcoming shows in the US I’m playing solo.

You went to school for jazz guitar. In what ways does that help and hurt you as an artist?

It was love and hate but it got better … The ear training and harmony lessons were always a great help. There was a time right after I quit the conservatory of Antwerp where I felt traumatised when holding a guitar. There would be no musical connection or anything. It would just remind me of teachers or scales ... But after a long time of improvising, making electronic music, buying pedals, etc., I found my way back to it. I can easily translate my ideas to music on a guitar, turn melodies into chords, turn chords into songs, etc. ... I love guitar.

We’ve read that you’ve done some work as a post officer. Do you still maintain that job? How do you negotiate the balance between your artistic life and your day job?

I’m happy to tell you that I’m not a mailman anymore ... That was also a love and hate situation. Loved the interactions with people carrying their mail from door to door, being a point of contact in a neighborhood ... It was quite a romantic job … Hated waking up early, the rain and the capitalistic ways of the company. The job gave me a healthy perspective of what creating music means to me. The unnecessary pressure of creating something “good” changed into the necessity of being artistically and creatively fulfilled, basically having fun making music ... because there was no time to overthink. 

What kind of music has been inspiring you lately? 

 

I don’t really know … I’ve been playing a lot of shows and I’m not spending too much time on discovering or listening to music in between. It’s nice to have periods not listening to anything … I could say I’m into a radio station called Radio Minerva from Antwerp, run by seniors from the city playing oldies. It’s soothing. 

Are you excited to do anything while you are in New York for this show?

Last time I was in NY I was visiting my sister who stayed on Long Island. I would be in NYC all day and then I would go back to her place for dinner. I’m excited to be in the city at night, be at a bar, or just hang around after the show. We’ll see what happens … I’m just excited in general.