My Summer Lair Chapter #334: What’s The Good News You Hear When You Listen To Resound?
Mills & Hunte are a saxophone duo from Toronto. Their IG bio reads: “sax duo that brings a smooth twist to music, art, and harmony.”
Oh, smooth, for true, if you’ve listened to Silver & Gold their Christmas EP I shared in 2022. At the time their message for that season (and that EP) was Joy & Love.
In 2025 their new album is Resound. And it’s still smooth as ice. And like Silver & Gold, Resound doesn’t have lyrics, yet it tells a special story and offers a distinct message.
The joyful title projects the exuberance of being filled with sound and making a joyful noise to spread God’s word, referencing Psalm 150:5. “Praise Him with loud cymbals; Praise Him with resounding cymbals.”
Truly this moving album can easily soundtrack every season. And yet I find it yields significant value over the Christmas time.
Christmas is a time of gatherings from the office potluck to dinners with families and loved ones. You know…all that (smooth!) jazz.
But there is also an underappreciated and often unrecognized loneliness. Not everybody has somebody.
(I think I mean Beyoncé’s Single Ladies as well as those who have lost loved ones. I’m grateful for so much, however there were many funerals in 2025. Understandably, grief is more pronounced this time of year.
While as a single dude I’m fidgeting under the mistletoe doing my best to keep all my relationship cancelling awkward at bay. It doesn’t help I write a newsletter, hah! How many dates do you wait to tell her you write a Substack newsletter? Babe, wanna sign up?!)
Loss or absence, grief or singleness (singleness always comes across like a strange uncurable disease…) it’s all underpinned by love.
Much like Resound by Mills & Hunte.
The way of love rather the way of law is our best route out of darkness. Law is super easy, that’s why it’s popular.
Love requires a commitment and will never be easy. It’s discouraging to admit.
That frustrating reflection was echoing in my head as I recorded the 2025 Mills & Hunte conversation. (See it even sounds like a suitable tradition.)
Their smooth jazz blended with their unvarnished faith has produced this remarkable album of Christian covers.
What are ways that we can be unoffensive within our culture yet allow the truth of The Gospel to be planted and watered and grow as a seed? By crafting subtle music like this. (Hallelujah! Welcome to Black Church!)
Even if you’re not coming at this from a position of faith; relish knowing each of these spiritual hits has been recorded in a distinct and infectious musical style.
Holy and Anointed One is supposed to be country-ish.
Welcome Into This Place has a little salsa vibe.
I Surrender All offers Afrobeats. Check it out…
This MSL conversation with these charming and thoughtful men was lots of fun and was filled with joy and love and laughter. (We also talk about pizza and Superman.)
You can listen to Mills & Hunte’s Resound on all the typical music platforms including this YouTube playlist.
Mills & Hunte @ W • T • F
Host Sammy Younan
Recorded: Tuesday July 15, 2025 at 5:30 pm
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