Mono - Snowdrop - COMPACT DISCS [CD]

The Last Dawn and Rays of Darkness are a pair of new albums by Mono. Recorded simultaneously yet conceptually and creatively disparate, the two act as both opposing and complementary sides to a story. No strangers to narratives, the twin albums explore familiar themes for the band Hope and hopelessness, love and loss, immense joy and unspeakable pain. Those elemental parts of life and the complicated relationships they create have never been more resonant through Mono's music than they are here. The Last Dawn is the first of these two companion albums, and is the InchlighterInch of the two. Album Tracks 1. Gates Between Tides/Glory 2. Kanata 3. Cyclone 4. Elysian Castles 5. Where We Begin 6. Last Dawn

The conflict and correlation between dark and light is a universal theme with a historically rich history. Musically, perhaps no band in the 21st Century has mined that relationship more consistently or effectively than Japan's Mono. Across 10 albums in 20 years, Mono have convincingly reflected the quietest and most chaotic parts of life through their music. Their ever-expanding instrumental palette - which began in earnest in 1999 with the traditional guitar- bass-drums rock band setup - has evolved to include as many as 30 orchestral instruments. Now, on Nowhere Now Here, the band add electronics to their repertoire - partially inspired by guitarist/composer Takaakira 'Taka' Goto's recent collaboration with John McEntire, the beguiling Behind the Shadow Drops. Nowhere Now Here also sees Mono's first-ever lineup change, adding new drummer Dahm Majuri Cipolla (The Phantom Family Halo) to the core trio of Goto, Tamaki, and Yoda. Tamaki also makes her vocal debut here, singing into the shadows of vintage Nico on the poetically hazy InchBreathe.Inch Album Tracks 1. God Bless 2. After You Comes the Flood 3. Breathe 4. Nowhere, Now Here 5. Far and Further 6. Sorrow 7. Parting 8. Meet Us Where the Night Ends 9. Funeral Song 10. Vanishing, Vanishing Maybe

What are we doing here? The year 2020 turned what was once quintessential late-night stoner existentialism into a daily mantra for nearly everyone on this planet. What are we doing with our limited time in this life? What is our purpose? What should we be doing? For the past 25 years, Mono have explored themes such as the relationship between darkness and light; hope in the face of disaster; and the duality of birth and death. On their 12th full-length album, OATH, they ponder the time that makes up life, and how to make the most of that time. Recorded and mixed with longtime friend and collaborator, Steve Albini, OATH opens like a sunrise with a slowly ascending orchestra and brass section, the full band taking it's time to revel in the atmosphere before joining in the splendor. Throughout the album's 71-minute runtime, Mono meditates on that theme of time and life in myriad ways. The unhurried evolution of a song that is a hallmark of Mono's catalog is infused with an air of elegance that elevates OATH to new heights. Mono challenged themselves with a universally relatable existential examination, and answered with OATH, an album that offers benevolent reflection rather than fleeting respite. Album Tracks 1. Us, Then 2. Oath 3. Then, Us 4. Run on 5. Reflection 6. Hear the Wind Sing 7. Hourglass 8. Moonlight Drawing 9. Holy Winter 10. We All Shine on 11. Time Goes By