Announcing their forthcoming This Bloom EP slated for November, Brooklyn’s Monogold premiere a hymn for daisy-pushing circles of life with, “Under Daisies”. In a succession of The Softest Glow, and We Animals; vocalist Keith Kelley, and Jared Apuzzo are joined by Mike Falotico to create harmonized dynamic loops that cover sample pieces from cocker spaniel sounds (courtesy of Jared’s dog, Daisy) to saxophones. Though the subject matter of the song deals with the finite life-length measurements of mortality, Monogold turn the perpetual bio/eco systems of living and letting go into new inhabited existences… and dog yip diamond synth zaps.
On “Under Daisies”, Monogold’s rounds of voices make up the natural earth processes that bear new life, and new fruit, from continuous patterns. Following the harmonies of cycle spinning vocal loops are the fertilized forces of percussion, keyboards, and the gleaming transformation afforded by the electric strings of change. Touching on that farmland ‘reap what you sow’ wisdom, the song sends out replenishment for all living things from beneath the surface providing generative sounds for soul and sediment. The new peace found from fallen organic and former living entities become the colorful bouquet of garden flowers, fruitful fields prime and ready for harvest, and all first sprouted signs of regenerated and rejuvenated life. Keith Kelly talked with us about the new single, the new EP, word of a new album, and then another EP, which you can read after the following stream of “Under Daisies”.
Can the the three of you describe what the Monogold road has been like, from your releases We Animals & The Softest Glow, to the upcoming EP, This Bloom?
Its been a lot of fun and a lot of hard work since the release of We Animals. With that record, Mike had just recently joined and we sort of became a brand new band. Within that direction we wound up at The Softest Glow, where we got our sound together live and started touring. There’s a bit of a departure with the new material from The Softest Glow, for instance “Dynasties”, the opener of This Bloom, is all loops and saxophone. After This Bloom comes out well be putting out an acoustic record tentatively called Good Heavens and then an LP in the spring. Busy!
What sort of secret plant lives gave musical inception for the exuberant “Under Daises” single?
Well basically the song title has two meanings. One, the lyrics are about dying, but not in a dark or macabre way. Basically the excitement of of evacuating your physical body and this strange new shape and world you’re learning to inhabit. Two, the main loop that goes through out the song is a sample we took of Jared’s cocker spaniel making strange noises. Yup, her name is Daisy!
What are some of the Monogold trade secrets as to how each of you brings a harmonic noise to the creative table, and what song construction methods do you all abide by in the developmental process and stages of your sound?
Our songwriting process usually is formed in my apartment on Pro Tools as sort of a central template. Then it gets brought to Jared and Mike in our studio where we will flush it out and sometimes give it a new shape. Having some samples we use, we often try to not be too dependent on them and have it be as organic and live as possible. It’s really fun and exciting to see a rough sketch that I’ve been tinkering on come alive with Jared and Mike when we get it right and play it live.
Best artists that the world hasn’t heard yet outside of Brooklyn?
Mike really likes King Krule who’s based out of England. I also really like Richard Hawley who’s also from England, Olof Arnalds, and The Wytches, just to name a few.
Monogold’s This Bloom will be available November 11.
Catch them on the upcoming dates, including release show.
October
12 Kingston, NY at BSP (O+ Festival), 8pm
November
15 Brooklyn, NY at Glasslands (EP release show) – tickets available now.
