Where to begin? Lordy, lord. I´m rarely into postrock/shoegaze-stuff but this record blew me away to another dimension.
It´s an arresting moment of clarity. A dangerous retrospective sense of lost memories. Tears to my eyes. I feel sorry for the earth, I feel weaker and stronger than ever. Double vibes of eternity.
This is post-everything. Mono don´t use their rock n roll guitars the way you would imagine. It´s texture. It´s fantasy. It´s above the clouds and underground.
This is shoegaze without the arrogance. It´s – first and foremost – feelings. Big, strong, everlasting feelings. A soundtrack to a Haruki Murakami book.
My lungs struggles for air, my heart pounds hard. This could knock you down and out. Mono makes the strongest blend there is.
Mono is from Tokyo, Japan. This is their sixth album. They started out in 1999 and keep coming back for more. The four members Takaakira Goto (sologuitar), Yoda (rhytmguitar), Tamaki Kunishi (electric bass) and Yasunori Takada (drums) tours the US right now and heads for Europe later on.
‘For My Parents’, with a great and emotional front picture, was released on September 4th. An all instrumental, epic piece of bewildering art. They have a full-scale orchestra in the studio and it´s dedicated to their parents. They´ve made an effort well worthy a Kentucky Seven!
PS: You know the world is a fucked up place when Mono´s venue in Gothenburg, Sweden is Truckstop Alaska. But hey. I´ll be there. Forever and ever.
The sextet from Newcastle. With such an introduction, you kinda wonder what you are in for. Thinkin of Newcastle, brings, at least for me up pictures of dirty workers, hard life, and pretty rough music style.
Lanterns On The Lake sounds nothing like Newcastle. The dreamy sound of Hazel Wilde’s voice and the almost creepy closeness of the rest of the band. It is intimate, it is an exciting mix of dreampop-americana-shoegaze-greatness.
The album, the eleven songs stick together, though not conformed. This is an album that will evolve with every listen. I am still mesmerized by how large it is. The feeling of complete and utter understanding of sound. Sound that you carry with you for a long long time.
Once again a debut album makes me really really excited. Music at its very best.
5 out of 7 for Lanterns On The Lake. I am sure that they will be on a lot of EOY-lists when we sum up 2011. I am sure.
Sweden has a way of breeding extraordinary musicmakers, that is a fact. And has been so for quite some time. Bella Union has made it clear that they are signing the absolute best there is today. This is no exception.
I Break Horses, Maria Lindén and Fredrik Balck has taken this fine tradition and taken it to the next level. With their album Hearts they have created a buzz all over the musicbusiness, and no wonder.
The album is shoegazing-pop-dreamy-electronica in a way that it is meant to be. It’s like listening to an art exhibition in some ways. The songs just makes you want to frame them, and show them to all your friends.
I would like to say that this album consists of pure magic, and love for the music. It is apparent to the listener that these folks, they know what they have done.
I Break Horses – Hearts 6 out of 7. Just like that.
