Intense and dynamic are two words often used to describe MONO’s music, and more importantly, their live shows. Marking an extensive run and the release of their newest album Nowhere Now Here, they’ve booked a tour across China that only adds to their well-stamped passports. With two decades of music under their belt, the instrumental band from Tokyo has played shows across the globe, shaping their sound and their trajectory as a group. “In our 20 years of playing together, we’ve had many changes to our music, inspired by touring around the world, seeing new places and meeting new people,” guitarist Takaakira Goto says.
Despite those shifts, there are certain things you can expect from the three-piece outfit, regardless of which album you turn to in their expansive catalogue. “We always want to push further and always try out new things, but one thing that you can always find in our music is a bright and a dark sight,” he explains.
Close your eyes while ‘Silent Flight Sleeping Dawn’ creeps into your ears, it’s hard not to visualize a spectrum of complimentary opposites with these heavy but beautiful tracks: yin and yang, light and dark, hope and doubt. Drawing on a diverse range of influences from composer Phillip Glass to Sonic Youth, you can hear the juxtaposition and emotional depth throughout their musical timeline.
Photo courtesy of the promoter
“I’m very influenced by classical composers such as Beethoven, but also noise bands like My Bloody Valentine and Neurosis. Combining these raw elements, of loud and heavy music with very harmonious classical sounds, is something that I’ve always been drawn to, and that varied combination of shoegaze, classical and punk is what makes their sound so difficult to explain,” Goto says.
It’s for this reason ‘post-rock’ isn’t the most accurate description of MONO’s music. Historically, the band has positioned themselves as being separate from blanket categorizations of style or intention, and while some might take issue with this, for Goto, it’s inconsequential. “To be honest, we don’t really care if people put us in a specific genre. The most important thing is that they can connect with our music, that they can be inspired when we play live. Over the years, we’ve gotten a lot of love from post-rock communities all over the world, so we don’t mind being called a post-rock band.”
Their swelling soundscapes come from a range of effects pedals, a 1974 Fender Stratocaster, a 1970s Ludwig drum kit and the ever-important glockenspiel. But depending on which album you turn to, you’re likely to hear more than just their standard outfit. “Hymn to the Immortal Wind pushed our boundaries as we added lots of strings to our music and combining classical elements.“ The 2009 album was mixed and recorded by American musician and recording engineer Steve Albini, and came after a yearlong touring break for MONO. Hymn was MONO’s third album with Albini, and an important part of what solidified their longstanding partnership with him.
Photo courtesy of the promoter
“Steve has been a friend of the band for many years and he is one of my personal heroes,” Goto says. “I really like his DIY spirit and that he’s always pushing us as a band. We’ve always wanted to record live and Steve really knows how to capture and create the sound that we have in mind. We also played a lot of shows with Shellac… such beautiful people that we only have the biggest respect for,“ Goto says, recalling it as one of his favorite tours.
There’s also something universal in the emotional portraits painted by MONO’s music. Their strings, guitars and symphonic sounds have only grown stronger over the years, which is why they’ll be spending most of 2019 on tour. With shows booked all across Asia, Europe, North America and Australia, they’ll be playing their complicated compositions to sold-out crowds for months to come, in heavy sets that’ll leave listeners in some kind of state. It’s hard to describe in words, so it’s best you just close your eyes and listen for yourself.
Beijing: Fri Mar 1, 9pm; RMB220; Tango, see event listing.
Shanghai: Sat Mar 2, 9pm; RMB220; Modern Sky Lab, see event listing.
Guangzhou: Thu Mar 7, 8.30pm; RMB180; MAO Livehouse, see event listing.
Shenzhen: Fri Mar 8, 8.30pm; RMB180; Hou Live, see event listing.
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