It’s often said that music is a universal language, but even so it’s rare to see a group that represents that so literally. Progressive-indie electronic group Me & the Monster all came together when they met at their shared university in Berlin, but they possess an additional layer that sets them apart from the typical cliche of starting a band in college; the 4 musicians all hail from different countries.
While most bands start off arguing about when they’re going to rehearse or who’s going to bring snacks, this group had to immediately face an obstacle that most would never even consider; figuring out how to deal with the cultural and linguistic differences that existed as a result of their varied backgrounds. But luckily, they all had one overwhelmingly important thing in common that transcended these barriers: their love and appreciation for music. Their self-titled EP, dropping January 31st, 2020, is the group’s debut.
The influences of their different homelands come through in their music, and the result is a beautiful melting pot of sounds and ideas. A range of modern influences can be heard in The Monster’s music; Of Monsters and Men seem to show on their indie folk-rock side and Alt-J in their experimental sounds and concepts. The progressive debut EP touches on political issues such as the rapidly-changing coral reefs and the controversial political scenes in the hometowns of some of the band members. Their debut is representative of who the group is and what they stand for, and everything about them supports this; even the name Me & the Monster itself is a take on describing “modern man and his connection to the most original part of himself, the subconscious: his monster.”
The opening track, “My House”, is an introduction into the Monsters’ world, and they waste no time in welcoming their listeners into their melting pot of music. Hearty tribal drums and soulful vocals immediately draw you in; “Greetings / This is the jungle of my feelings” sings vocalist Andrea Trujillo. Here, home exists not as a place but as an idea, as a feeling, and as the people that become home for you when you leave the place you’ve always known. The opening track is the perfect intro to the group, who are all familiar with this concept as they hail from Spain, Venezuela, and Italy and all found unity and this idea of home through their common love for music.
“The Shadow” touches on the concept that the group is named for; the idea of recognizing the monster inside of yourself and the battle that everyone goes through with that. Meanwhile “Give Me Fire” stresses the importance of finding a source of light to keep you fighting through dark times. “Here” is a brightly-colored river of sounds that winds slowly before building into an explosive chorus heavy with tribal drums and echoing harmonies. The passionate political anthem introduces a sense of urgency as the group makes a call to action; “We cannot pretend / That this isn’t real / This is not the end”.
The closer, “Colours” touches on the issue of the damage of the coral reefs as a result of climate change. “It’s in my body / It’s in my bones / I must keep fighting,” Trujillo repeats, her passion for the cause evident in her moving and soulful voice. Smoothly rolling guitar riffs reminiscent of the ocean waves themselves accent the anthemic chorus. Shouting background vocals call for unity as the group reminds listeners of the importance of using music as a channel for activism for important causes.
The debut is a rare case that leaves listeners not only with a crystal clear idea of where the group stands musically, but also politically. While each track shows off a varied side of who the Monsters are and what they’re all about, the EP has a strong feeling of unity and coherence that makes the group’s debut body of work feel strong and memorable.
Singer-songwriter Cayley Thomas has just released “BlueJeanBaby”, the newest single from her upcoming album How Else Can I Tell You?, a “collection of songs that reflect upon a period of subconscious overwhelm and the subsequent shift into conscious thought and awareness”.
Before any lyrics are even heard, the track feels romantic. The guitars are hopeful and the drums seem as though they could be keeping time to a heartbeat, and that’s all before Thomas even opens her mouth. As soon as she does, the transportation to another time is inevitable; you’re wrapped up in her world in the first thirty seconds.
Echoing harmonies and dreamy bass pull the listener into the warm and hazy fever dream of the land that Thomas’ music lives in, a land almost as enticing as her purely enchanting vocals themselves. Despite the simplicity of it all, Thomas quickly and smoothly draws her audience in with ringing guitars and hypnotic production from another time and traps them in her honey-drenched web, and she doesn’t release her grip until it’s all over. The instrumentation takes its time for the first two-and-a-half minutes of the track, but perfection cannot be rushed, and the build is slow and sweet. It’s impossible to hear Thomas and not think of Lana del Ray, and not just because of their similar affinity for men in blue jeans; the singers share that sweetly monotonous quality in their voice that’s just so damn charming in a cool, detached sort of way.
How Else Can I Tell You? premiers November 21st, 2020. Keep up with Cayley here.
After 35 years in the game, English synth-pop duo PetShopBoys (comprised of Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe) have just released their 14th studio album, Hotspot. The album was recorded primarily at the Hansa Studios in Berlin, which is where the duo has written most of their music over the past ten years. The record is the third and final in a trilogy produced by electro-pop titan Stuart Price (The Killers). While the previous two records seemed to stay in a similar lane, Hotspot does an exceptional job at introducing a little taste of all of the different flavors that keep PetShopBoys at the top of their game after so long in the industry. Despite the longevity of their career, the PetShopBoys have lost none of their edge, and they deliver in both their trademark wit and lyricism as well as a subtly diverse bag of tricks musically.
The PetShopBoys are more than a little deserving of some recognition on their ability to deliver another interesting album after 35 years in the game, and their time here has been anything but insignificant. Listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the most successful duo in UK music history, they’ve acquired a staggering 44 UK top-40 hits as well as charting 12 songs on the US Billboard Hot 100. They’re also the fifth most successful act on the Billboard Dance Club Songs chart of all Time, only falling behind acts like Madonna and Janet Jackson.
The album’s lead single, “Dreamland”, a collaboration with Olly Alexander of Years and Years, showcases the PetShopBoys’ sweet spot. While on the surface the track seems like an up-tempo electro-anthem that feels almost euphoric, it also subtly takes digs at both Brexit and U.S. immigration policies without laying it on with a heavy hand. In the track, Tennant imagines an idyllic land where everyone is welcome and where “you don’t need a visa / you can come and go and still be here”. The track feels both empowered and carefree at the same time and features a larger-than life disco-inspired chorus alongside an intense longing for true freedom.
Tracks like electro funk-pop number “Monkey Business” hit a little different. “We’ve actually written, almost for the first time in our career, a groove song” said Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe in a statement about the song. The lyrics themselves are as delightedly light-hearted and playful as the party track: “Bring me margaritas / Champagne and red wine / We’re gonna have a party / Where we all cross the line / I’m looking for monkey business.” “Wedding in Berlin”, a techno-wedding march mash-up, falls in the same vein. Featuring sections of Mendelssohn’s infamous march itself, it’s for the most part a one-liner (“We’re getting married”) but at the same time feels like it was created with some reflection in mind.
In a surprise twist for a group that has suggested we entertain the idea of banning the acoustic guitar, “Burning the heather” strips back some of the electro layers in exchange for, in an insane twist, what appears to be some lovely acoustic guitar parts (courtesy of The Suede’s Bernard Butler). Folky and fresh, the track is chock-full of deep and compelling lyricism and twinkling sound effects. It’s a refreshing reminder of the diversity of the duo (even if they don’t support the legality of all instruments featured).
Hotspot is out now and the Pet ShopBoys will begin a greatest hits tour on May 28th at the O2 Arena in London. Keep up with the duo here.
Psychedelic rock outfit The Lazy Eyes have just released the lead single from their debut EP. While it’s entitled “Cheesy Love Song,” it feels like anything but.
The four-piece Sydney-based group are just 18 and 19 years old but met at a young age at their performing arts high school and have already been playing together for 4 years. The group gained national buzz after coming onto Australia’s scene at the 2019 Bigsound festival. They present themselves as part of the “the second generation of Australia’s burgeoning psych-rock scene” and they left Bigsound as one of the breakout acts of the festival.
>While admittedly cleverly named, “Cheesy Love Song” feels like anything but. Gentle piano melodies dance around Beatles-esque guitar riffs and sighing harmonies before exploding into a warmly-textured pedal and synth-filled trip. It is psychedelic rock in its tenderest and purest form, but it still harnesses unpredictability and skillful execution and leaves the listener wondering what The Lazy Eyes will do next.
The Lazy Eyes are set to perform at Laneway Festival next month and plan to announce 2020 U.S. dates soon.
Saturn alarms are ringing out, but don’t be alarmed; it’s not time for the alien takeover quite yet. It is, however, time to take a deep dive into outer space, courtesy of Tom McConnell, mastermind behind a little project called NoveltyIsland. The new single entitled (yep, you guessed it) “Saturn Alarms” dropped January 24th and is the follow-up to the group’s debut track, “Magdapio Falls”.
In an intergalactic pop-epic of a track, mind-bending synths and ethereal harmonies accompany coded imagery of the destruction of our apparently ever-so-delicate solar system. “The cuts are causing cracks around the galaxy / they’re jeopardizing our solar security / and I find myself eternally orbiting / the stars are melting down and I can see the strings.” The song was apparently inspired by some random graffiti that McConnell’s saw on the back of his mom’s house, but he chose to accept his mission as much more and took it upon himself to craft a grand and sky-scraping track that is also notably catchy. Bowie would be proud.
NoveltyIsland will be at The Social in London on March 19th and Shipping Forecast in Liverpool on March 26th. Their debut EP, Welcome to NoveltyIsland…., will be released March of 2020 via Ditto Music. Keep up with the project here.
Bending both genres and cultures alike, San Francisco-based artist Renay offers a refreshingly unique perspective on electronic and pop music. For her newest single, “InspireMe”, Renay is doing just that by releasing a thrilling new music video along with her single that highlights interpretive dance. Of the new track, Renay says “This song is about how the muse inspires, paradoxically propelling you to create (birth), yet through the intense obsession it devours you (death). An intensely positive rendition of the infinite connection between life and death.”
The track explores themes of love and its correlation to destruction and creation and how that intensity can simultaneously “inspire and tear down an artist”. The multi-talented singer/songwriter and producer/engineer’s music pairs deep and thought-provoking themes with dance-fueled production, which proves to be an incredibly satisfying combination.
The music video itself is an absolute treat for both the auditory and visual senses. Intensely emotional and shrouded in mystery, the powerful dance and vivid colors featured makes the whole thing feel like a hallucinogen-fueled lucid dream. The dance is deeply beautiful and seems to effectively convey the passionate message that Renay is sending, and the production of both the video and music alike is fantastical and intriguing.
At just eighteen years old, Norwegian pop artist Hannah Emilie Grung, better known as Halie, is making waves in the Nordic pop scene, and now her music is here for your enjoyment as well.
Halie has just dropped an infectious new track entitled “New Fears”, following up her recent release of another catchy tune, “Circles”. Halie’s smooth and sultry voice paired with bold lyricism makes for a song that feels well-crafted in the verses and free-spirited in the chorus. This combined with the dance-evoking beat makes this earworm of a tune feel radio-ready and is sure to keep you moving throughout the week.
“Don’t ever ask me to slow down my pace / fucking leave me, there is no disgrace” Halie sings. While the production on the track is very pop, the lyricism feels almost rebellious in a way that’s fresh and unfamiliar. Halie sings of not letting fear get in the way of, well, anything, and celebrates embracing intimidating factors instead of letting them control you, resulting in a song that feels empowered and daring.The song builds into a powerful bridge, with ethereal background vocals transitioning into a powerful final pre-chorus. The emotion in Halie’s voice really shines through here before dropping us back off into that catchy dance chorus one last time.
