Monsters blends story and style in a way that’s frankly unrivalled right now. We’re in the artistic territory of early 2000s triphop and dark dance – the melodic appeal, the depth and weight of distortion and design, the conceptual detail and subtle riffs. Genre feels like a secondary aspect of what is ultimately an artistic encapsulation of mood and scene.
Music
Aviram Spies ensures the connection between title and experience. A work that perfectly encapsulates the implications of its name – On The Edge of an Endless Forest takes you to precisely the purity and vastness promised. The sound is that of a nostalgic movie-made classical realm, familiar but unpredictable, and softly spellbinding to let play and surround you.
Catchy synths reverberate for a disarming opening moment, before distorted warmth and rhythm present a wholly encompassing groove. Hannover’s Betweenzone always bring the professionalism and reliability to modern music.
Intertwine the pulsating bass and beat combo of Gotye with an intoxicating but subtle blend of jazz, trip hop and natural word ambience, and you’re almost on track to imagine the creative embrace of Koyla and Tensky’s Nomads.
Just seventeen years old and already carving out a classic but fresh sound as a modern producer. DJ Jan is set to close down this year’s Monster Energy Catalunya MotoGP Grand Prix, alongside a plethora of other noteworthy appearances to follow, and the sheer intensity and creative edge of TEC quite naturally highlights why.
Soaring nostalgic rock and roll of a crisp style and fast-paced energy – Stefski & Hutch deliver a unique twist on the timeless format, with the indie tones and subtle psychedelic twists of Selling Lies.
Country rock straight from the relatable depths of Liverpool – The UK’s own Liam Doherty masters the sound and style of the genre, and pairs that with brilliantly uplifting, catchy songwriting.
Promising verses more focused than ever, a fast-paced outpouring of scenes that captivate, Trial is a song based around the Franz Kafka novel The Trial, and delivers a breathless encapsulation of that across less than a minute and a half of music.
Spanish flavours and gritty fragments of natural world sound unite amidst the tropical bounce of grant4ore’s Drought day riddem.
Taking Names offers a plethora of deeply poetic, metaphorical and impressive lyrics – the sharpness and intelligence of which permits the song the worthy status of requiring you to listen more than a couple of times to grasp every idea. There are depths to the music, and as such, each time you do revisit, the music and story hit with all the more impact.
For those new to the style, you might find similar vibes amidst the hit movies of eras past – the days when street rap battles, break dancing and colourful clothes hung on the air like a stylish hit of opposition to the mundane. Reis Armstrong recaptures the purity of those days, and does so with original songwriting and a clear sense of unity and passion for the process.
Hailing from Garut in West Java, now creating out of Jakarta, long-time guitarist and songwriter Sonny brings a welcomed twist of humility and heart to alternative rock.