Multi-instrumentalist Justin Miller’s indie-rock project Kultures has been quietly gaining momentum and attention for its expansive soundscapes and introspective lyrics.
The musician and his bandmates will release their second album, “Dreamstacks,” Friday. The songs are inspired by actual dreams Miller has had.
Miller has worked with over 20 musicians and engineers to bring his vision for Kultures to life. The name itself comes from the artist’s experiences crossing paths with people with different backgrounds, influences or perspectives that have helped inform his songwriting.
“You meet all these different people, and regardless of that backstory, music does take you into so many different places that you wouldn't otherwise be,” Miller said. “Through music, I experience so many different cultures, whether on a grander scale or within different pockets of the Cleveland community.”
Kultures’ debut, self-titled album was recorded in 2020, while Miller, like many musicians, was stuck at home in Lakewood.
“I had a basement with six-foot ceilings, so I built a small home studio that would allow me to start demoing stuff,” he said.
The album was released in 2021, and it set the groundwork for the band’s blend of ethereal, emotional songwriting and psych-rock-inspired live sets.
Since then, Kultures has become a staple of the Cleveland music scene, performing at various festivals and iconic venues, and collaborating with numerous musicians to create an expansive sound.
From indie rock to experimental sounds
Miller, who grew up in Eastlake, began his musical journey at a young age. He learned guitar under the influence of his father and grandfather. He played in bands by age 12.
After attending Kent State, Miller moved to Lakewood, where he explored different musical ideas.
He started an indie-rock band called Polars, which released its first EP in 2015, followed by a full-length album in 2019.
Miller said the project began slowing down, and he spent more time experimenting with songwriting and expression without much planning or intention.
“I had a lot of time alone where I was just writing music every day, wherever I could, and collecting 100 different song ideas and all sorts of different genres, from ambient Radiohead-inspired stuff to Americana to hip hop/pop stuff,” he said.
His prolific songwriting pace inspired him to begin releasing different styles of music.
Miller said his songwriting process is ethereal and meditative, a free-form exploration of subconscious ideas.
“I try to surprise myself with what comes out," he said.
The evolution of Kultures has been marked by the addition of key members—Etienne Massicotte on keys, Stephen Klunk on drums and Mark Poro on bass.
Their live shows are known for their psychedelic jam sessions and intricate improvisations.
“If you listen to the records, you'll hear more of an introspective, like indie-rock sort of vibe,” he said. “But if you come to the live set, you're going to see a lot of experimental, improvisational guitar work.”
Putting dreamscapes to song
Kultures’ sophomore album is inspired by Miller’s experiences with lucid dreaming.
“You're dreaming, but you're somewhat in control of the experience,” he said.
He said some of his dreams involve him having fun soaring through different corners of cities, while others are more emotional, where he would encounter his deceased grandfathers.
“I would spend time with them in my dreams, probably dozens and dozens of times I'd come back. And that can be a little bit traumatic, honestly,” he said. “I had such genuine-seeming conversations with them while I'd be sleeping.”
These experiences mirror Miller’s current songwriting process, where he lets the moment guide him while he brings his awareness back at various points.
“It's a process of discovery for me. I like to understand what the songs are about,” he said.
He said some of the more vulnerable themes on the album were confronted through his dream states first.
“I work through some of that stuff in these sort of half-conscious places,” he said. “I'm experiencing it in two different ways—one in bed and the other in the studio.”
The album's title references the layered nature of Miller’s creative process and the complexities of human relationships and the subconscious mind.
“I work through some of that stuff in these sort of half-conscious places. I'm experiencing it in two different ways—one in bed and the other in the studio.”Justin Miller
Miller said the songs on “Dreamstacks” touch on the dreams he has while sleeping and the dreams he’s had his whole life, which include finding an audience as an artist and starting a family.
“I felt like the sum total of all of these dreams is essentially an insight into who I am at my core,” he said.
Kultures released its first single from the album, “Ruthless,” this past spring. The track is an upbeat, melodic, radio-friendly track that blends well but is intentionally contrasted by “DLMSYLT,” which follows sequentially on the album’s track list.
“It's sort of a new sound every time you turn the page,” Miller said. “That's really a function of me wanting to be engaged with the music.”
As Kultures continues to explore new sonic territories, the music offers listeners a journey into the depths of the human experience.
Each song begins as a small seed. With the addition of synth, layered production and contributions from Miller’s bandmates, it evolves.
“Then it just grows and grows and grows,” he said. “And before you know it, there's a giant wall of sound. And it takes however many guys to bring it to life in a large space.”
