Ghent. monogold.
Fender Rhodes with a twist, a guitar embroidering and grinding soundscape like patterns whilst exploring the boundaries of pop/rock/noise, stretched out on a fundament of entangling drums and bass. That is the sound of monogold anno 2011.
monogold released its first album – totally DIY, from recording, design to release – in 2009. Self entitled, it was. Some songs were picked up by national radio stations like Studio Brussels, Radio 1, … (Nice Trip, Better Breathe In) and got a fair deal of airplay.
Whereas the band was – with their debut album - seeking a way to break the boundaries of pop music, they have now somewhat shifted their focus and have – while they were playing and recording - tried to capture the essence of their music. The result? We call it silent post rock. We are not to keen on references, but to give you an idea: we could be Sigur Ros’s nephew and Bon Iver’s uncle. Or Mogwai’s neighbours and even the Belgian Isbells’ distant cousin.
monogold strongly believes in ‘de la musique avant toute chose’. The band is not interested in becoming the flavour of the day, but chooses to follow its own path. It’s all about images. Emotions. Descriptions. A quest for emotion triggered by sound. Homeland could be regarded as the soundtrack to stories unwritten, as the off screen musical comment of non-existing movies, as the ever present friend on long and distant walks on arctic plains or as the musical counterpart of seagulls hovering over boats on their long haul to fishing grounds. Or like going out for a walk when you know that there is a storm ahead. Or that silence is sometimes far more attractive than loudness. That what is in-between the lines is more interesting and conveys more than what is said out loudly.
monogold
Boy Rabaey: guitar/voice
Hein De Wolf: Fender Rhodes/ guitar /voice
Tom Boute: bass
Sven De Potter: drums