After exploring their creative impulses through strings, horns, pianos, and varied folk influences, Mi and L’au decided to venture into a newer, more electric environment on their newest record. If Beauty is a Crime doesn’t feature a single guitar. In fact, you won’t find a traditional instrument anywhere on it. The simple, stripped-down sound for which they’ve become so well known is transformed on this latest album, shaped unexpectedly by circuits, programs, and mechanical processes. …　　But, along with Mira and Laurent’s redefined approach, something familiar found its way into their music. While making the album, both musicians noticed the specter of familiar melodies and rhythms haunting their work; the inspiration wasn’t from a specific song or melodic line, but from a mood or an idea buried somewhere in the past. As they investigated this anomalous influence, they uncovered a shared memory of films enjoyed during childhood, specifically those scored by French composer Fran?ois de Roubaix.　　Responsible for the music in well over 30 films, de Roubaix was known for his use of synthesizers and drum machines, and for his use of folk elements. The connection between his work and their current endeavor was obvious. Subsequently, Mi and L’au immersed themselves in his music even as they continued to produce their own. Whether by fate or by coincidence, de Roubaix’s music found its way into their lives just as they were beginning to explore what electronic sounds could do for them. So, in the end, they dedicated If Beauty is a Crime to Fran?ois.　　Through their newly discovered electronic voice something older and more familiar sounded out, and the result is a stunning fusion of ideas and feelings that completely redefines Mi and L’au’s sound.