Blake Mills & Pino Palladino Release of 'That Wasn’t A Dream'

Today, visionary bassist Pino Palladino and acclaimed guitarist, producer, and songwriter Blake Mills release their highly anticipated new album That Wasn't A Dream via Impulse! Records in partnership with New Deal.

An exploratory and deeply collaborative body of work, That Wasn’t A Dream finds two of modern music’s most innovative musicians pushing the boundaries of composition, performance, and sonic texture. Palladino, a Grammy-winning bassist whose work spans artists from D'Angelo to Nine Inch Nails, Erykah Badu and John Mayer, joins forces once again with Mills—himself a Grammy winner and two-time Producer of the Year nominee known for collaborations with Bob Dylan, Fiona Apple, Alabama Shakes, and Perfume Genius.

The album builds on the duo’s celebrated 2021 debut Notes With Attachments, which was praised by Pitchfork as “the sound of consummate collaborators imagining a world where there’s no such thing as a lead performer.” On That Wasn’t A Dream, Mills and Palladino take that philosophy even further, dissolving traditional roles and embracing a fluid, intuitive creative process that prioritizes balance, spontaneity, and restraint.

Recorded over two months in the iconic Studio A at Sound City Studios—a space Mills has helmed since 2018—the album draws in a close-knit group of collaborators, including multi-instrumentalist Sam Gendel, whose contributions help shape the record’s intricate sonic world. Yet at its core, the project remains a deeply focused dialogue between Mills and Palladino, reflecting years of shared musical evolution.

Central to the album’s identity is its embrace of minimalism and space. “It came to light, really, that if we could make something work with the least possible ingredients, space could become the centerpiece,” Palladino explains. That philosophy is evident throughout the record, where compositions often evolve from dense harmonic ideas into stripped-back, immersive soundscapes.

The album also showcases innovation in instrumentation. On “What Is Wrong With You?,” Mills experiments with a prototype fretless baritone sustainer guitar—an instrument he helped develop with luthier Duncan Price—capable of producing tones that blur the lines between woodwind, brass, and bowed strings. That spirit of experimentation carries across the album, resulting in music that is at once intimate, unpredictable, and richly textured.

Highlights include the atmospheric opener “Contour,” which gradually draws listeners into the album’s expansive sonic universe, and lead single “Taka,” featuring drummer Chris Dave. Praised by The New York Times as “nimble” and “unpredictable,” the track captures the duo’s ability to create music that feels both spontaneous and meticulously crafted.

With That Wasn’t A Dream, Mills and Palladino deliver a quietly radical statement—one that rewards close listening and reveals new layers with each pass. It’s a testament to the power of collaboration, restraint, and fearless musical exploration.

The duo will support the album with live performances throughout the fall.

That Wasn’t A Dream tracklist

1. Contour
2.  Laugh In The Mouth Of The Lion
3. Somnambulista
4. Taka
5. What Is Wrong With You?
6. Heat Sink
7. That Was A Dream