Project Description
NO MONO
@ The Brightside
(25/08/18)
Live Review
Review By: Alexandra Ainsworth
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Indie supergroup, No Mono, are currently touring the nation in support of their debut album, Islands Part 1. The duo, comprised of Tom Snowdon and Tom Iansek, have been turning heads since the release of their first single—their ambient yet striking sound one that needs to be experienced live to be truly appreciated.
The set starts the same way the record does, with the slow-building vocals and dotted synths of Violence Broken. While fans are already expecting silken vocals and stunning instrumentals (having tracked No Mono’s previous projects for years), the band, from their opening notes, prove to be so much more. Snowdon’s vocals are hauntingly elegant: they pose a cinematic grace that holds a curbed frustration that slowly builds within each track. Right of stage, Iansek, slightly hidden behind an array of synths and keys, is working his own magic. The pulsating instrumentals that underline each track are a statement in their own right. They ebb and flow with an ephemeral beauty that works to delicately compliment Snowdon’s lyrics.
Midway through the set, the crowd is surprised with a cover of #1 Dad’s Return To. The track is an undoubtedly a welcome addition to the night and works to contrast the sounds of No Mono in comparison to the duo’s previous work. It’s in newest release Fever Highs, however, that the experimental aspect of the band becomes truly apparent. Hidden behind a wall of lasers, Iansek and Snowdon present their most sonically strong track with hard beats and grinding synths vibrate underneath Snowdon’s deepest vocals.
The night comes to an end with a cover of Righteous Brothers’ Unchained Melody. Pink lights illuminate the stage with a soft glow as the crowd falls silent to appreciate both Tom Snowdon and Tom Iansek striped back in all their raw beauty. It’s an almost sickly sweet ending to tonight’s set, but it confirms that everyone in the venue has fallen in love with No Mono.
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Praise for NO MONO
“No Mono are truly Australia’s most bold and translucent new act at the moment.”
AAA Backstage
“…No Mono marks their territory as one of the most exciting new projects to come out of Australian music.”
Acid Stag
“Their debut is a turbulent and emotional record that packs a wallop on almost every track…Without doubt, Snowdon’s voice is a gift. Every note threatens to crack under the sheer weight of his warbling tenor…If they make a second album together, the world is their oyster.”
Jonno Seidler, The Australian
“The slow pace makes Islands (Part 1) a challenging listen, but it becomes oddly comforting over repeat plays.”
Beat
“Tom Snowdon’s voice and Tom Iansek’s sonic landscapes pull you in and shift the air around you so that space seems in constant disturbance but time is in stasis…Islands Part 1 also creates an internal disturbance, an uncomfortable realisation that you aren’t ever at peace here…Everything happens at the edges.”
Bernard Zuel
“Their debut album certainly delivers on the promise that saw the duo sell out their first-ever shows off the back of a handful of singles – it’s set to be one of the year’s buzziest releases.”
ELLE Magazine
“…one of Melbourne’s most exciting new bands…”
GQ Australia
“The minimalism of the pair’s sound is almost deceptively simple…suspense, emotion, and finesse fire like electricity throughout Islands (Part 1), a magnificent statement of artistic prowess from No Mono.”
Happy
“Tom Snowdon and Tom Iansek are meant to be together. And No Mono is a project with legs. It’s like Chewbacca playing chess with James Blake, Bon Iver over a bottle of Glenlivet. Each track gives you a warm shiver as tiny tremors give way to midnight black choruses…Shy Magic.”
Mikey Cahill, Herald Sun (4/5 stars)
“it’s a beautiful, minimal injection of neo-soul to the heart.”
Hilly Dilly
“This is truly something special.”
I OH YOU
“The duo’s first shows had people raving, and early cuts like ‘Butterflies’ and ‘Tidal Fight’ both feature the same naked, emotionally resonant edge that gave their previous collaborations such heart.”
‘15 Albums To Look Out For In 2018’
LNWY.CO
“While very much under the chill/ambient banner, each song on the album sounds a little bit different. If you’re a fan of the genre, and self-reflective lyricism, Islands (Part 1) is definitely worth a listen.”
Music Feeds
“Angelic, irresistibly stunning, beautiful, remarkable, moving and gut-wrenching are all descriptors we’ve used while talking about their past three singles, but I’d like to summarise all of it into one word – special. No Mono are special.”
Pilerats
“Each single released from the album so far has demonstrated a level of sophistication and a nuanced understanding of the project’s identity that can only come from years of refinement and careful cultivation.”
Purple Sneakers
“No Mono are one of those groups that come along and truly stop you in your tracks.”
Stoney Roads
“…like James Blake having a spirit child with Anohni…the minimalism of this album is its strength.”
The Music
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NO MONO
NATIONAL TOUR
Supported by Eliott* and Jeffe^.
Tickets
AUGUST 31 – JIVE – ADELAIDE*^
SEPTEMBER 1 – JACK RABBIT SLIMS – PERTH^
SEPTEMBER 6 – CORNER HOTEL – MELBOURNE*^ NEW SHOW
SEPTEMBER 7 – CORNER HOTEL – MELBOURNE*^ SOLD OUT
SEPTEMBER 15 – THE STUDIO – DARWIN^
SEPTEMBER 16 – MONTE’S – ALICE SPRINGS^
**Also appearing at Splendour In The Grass**
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Stay connected with No Mono:
Official Wesbite | Instagram | Twitter | FB | YouTube | Tumblr
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