Hidden Shoal Recordings » Monocle Reviews

Monocle “Outer Sunset” – Hyperbolium

tim — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 03:05:32 +0000

Excerpt: “a thickly produced concoction of sounds that are both retro-futuristic and contemporary, a la Stereolab. Monocle draws heavily from the lounge atmosphere of ‘50s and ‘60s space-age bachelor pad music, packing their swinging tracks with buzzing synthesizers, and ethereal clouds of bass, drums and guitar. The results have the confessional tone of background music, but the energetic bite of productions that demand the foreground. Sunny Kim sings breezy and cool in the manner of Astrud Gilberto, and the instrumental backings have the antsy trance ambience of the Feelies or Luna. This is music from a future in which analog synthesizers are cutting edge, cold war spy films are all the rage and KPM’s swinging stock music library provides the soundtrack to your life.”

Hyperbolium

Monocle “Outer Sunset” – AMG

tim — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 06:45:37 +0000

Excerpt: “bandleader Rich Bennett has plenty to be proud of… what makes Outer Sunset so striking is how readily familiar elements get used in a way that’s just distinct and thrilling enough… The root of it may be the sense of controlled melodrama and clever arrangements at the heart of songs like ‘Agent Earle,’ which owes far more to, say, mid-period Roxy Music than to the more obvious sonic signifiers which the songs otherwise suggest. Add in an ear for groovy space-outs that aim for grace and uplift — the near-instrumental ‘Allo Taxi’ is a standout here — as well as some muscular drumming from Max Goldman that generally steers clear of rent-a-Motorik beats in favor of a full-bodied stomp, and Outer Sunset makes for a promising listen.”

AMG

Monocle “Outer Sunset” – Coast Is Clear

tim — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 02:59:31 +0000

Excerpt (translated from the German): “What would an attractive mixture of the mysterious relaxation of Broadcast,
the flow of Stereolab, and the shoegazing atmosphere of Soundpool sound like? The answer is Monocle… Right after listening to the beginning of ‘Music Of Space’ I was sure that here must be masters at work. I haven’t heard for quite a while such refreshing melancholic tunes, which sound like a late night in a big city and which transport such comforting, romantic sounds… really inspiring.”

Coast Is Clear

Monocle “Outer Sunset” – Ondarock

tim — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 03:47:42 +0000

Excerpt: “the album demonstrates a stylistic variety that prevents them from being labeled like the numerous clones of the groups from which they derive… Less cerebral than Stereolab, Monocle demonstrates a stirring loveliness, supporting the listening experience ’til the end. Rock guitars, spacerock, krautrock, lounge and pop combine without corrupting the background of dreampop and instead amplifying the appeal… rejoice in this noteworthy debut”

Ondarock

Monocle “Outer Sunset” – Collected Sounds

tim — Sun, 23 Mar 2008 05:55:52 +0000

Excerpt: “Monocle play spacy, poppy electronic music fronted by the delightful Sunny Kim. They are a bit like Stereolab and boast truly memorable tunes… Monocle’s debut is a lovely record that should appeal to many.”

Collected Sounds

Monocle “Outer Sunset” – Textura

tim — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 06:21:40 +0000

Excerpt: “Outer Sunset presents eleven polished samplings of radiant effervescence from New York-based quintet Monocle… The bossa-fueled pop of ‘Emmanuelle’ opens the album euphorically… In ‘Gaspard’, Kim’s heavenly voice rides a wave of squalling guitars… the band flirts with guitar freakout territory during the astral sonics of ‘Music of Space’… All things considered, a gloriously entertaining and accomplished debut.”

Textura

Monocle “Outer Sunset” – Leonard’s Lair

tim — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 07:11:37 +0000

Excerpt: “New York’s Monocle take out the boring bits and go straight for the jugular with their own brand of space-age pop. The virtually flawless ‘Gaspard’, ‘Green Future’ and ‘Music Of Space’ each boast euphoric choruses bolstered by strong female vocals. Even when they do experiment they pull it off – ‘Agent Earle’ begins in typical retro-futurist style but then twists into a shimmering wall of synths and glacial atmospheres… Outer Sunset is definitely one of the most addictive alternative pop albums I’ve heard in recent years.”

Leonard’s Lair

Monocle “Outer Sunset” – It’s Not The Band I Hate It’s Their Fans

tim — Fri, 11 Jan 2008 23:39:17 +0000

Excerpt: “Monocle is a dreamy synth-pop band from New York that has nailed a sound that is airy and unrestrained one moment and dark and mildly claustrophobic the next… I seem to get lost in their songs. They’ll be sort of playing in the background and then suddenly my face will light up with the realization that “Air Phase”, for example, is simply amazing. “Wave Goodbye” is another standout… a totally accessible and brilliant pop song. How do they do that? Don’t know. Chalk it all up to an amazing chemistry I suppose… this is a very good release by an up and coming new band.”

It’s Not The Band I Hate, It’s Their Fans

Monocle “Outer Sunset” – Sonic Frontiers

tim — Thu, 13 Dec 2007 00:47:28 +0000

Excerpt: “strong evidence for the innovation still thriving in the genre, stated with real focus and conviction… Monocle do well to set themselves aside from any serious sound-alikes, calling upon the cool melodies of jazz, enforcing a danceable tempo and pouring it all into the classic verse-chorus structure. The end result is fantastic – managing to showcase excellent musicianship, whilst still displaying potential to catalyze the dance floor… As the album progresses into the second half, the sound takes a turn towards the more daring and different… The band manage to slot their sound into these changes perfectly, without forcing an “experimental” feel or disrupting the start-to-finish flow… Overall, Outer Sunset really is a solid record; one that displays much accomplished, with a lot to potentially achieve in future efforts.”

Sonic Frontiers

Monocle “Outer Sunset” – Delusions of Adequacy

tim — Thu, 13 Dec 2007 00:43:12 +0000

Excerpt: “For dreamy, slightly psychedelic, shoegazing indie pop, look no further. Monocle, a five-piece outfit from Brooklyn, has weaved together a pensive, stunning new album for Hidden Shoal Recordings. It plays like a soundtrack to a really good movie… Outer Sunset has a subtle energy that flows almost tangibly throughout each track, and this understated approach does not lessen the impact, but rather renders it unmistakable. Multi-layered and involving, Outer Sunset manages to be avant-garde and accessible simultaneously, which is no small feat… Monocle has made a dazzling album. This is an ethereal, complex and simply excellent new release for HSR, and Monocle is a band to look out for in the future.”

Delusions of Adequacy

Monocle “Lounge Act” – Russ’s Reviews

Hidden Shoal Recordings — Fri, 10 Aug 2007 08:40:23 +0000

Excerpt – “Monocle’s lounge act EP will appeal to fans of Stereolab a great deal. Lucy’s sweet vocals give the four tracks contained within a delightful arty affair. ‘Secret Handshake’ is a gentle rumble of drums, some floaty keyboards and the sound of rippling water and then the title track gets even more atmospheric and dreamy. It’s twinkly French pop of the highest order. ‘Car Ride’ is all summery and surf bound and ‘Hawaii’ is a minimal instrumental with lovely twanging guitars and gentle keyboard sounds. Monocle have made an EP that’s continental, airy and delightful.”

Russ’s Reviews

Monocle “Lounge Act” – Vinyl Vulture

Hidden Shoal Recordings — Fri, 10 Aug 2007 08:36:29 +0000

Excerpt – ” it’s a happy occasion when someone tips you the wink about a new band that bring together some of your favourite elements from interesting bands down the years – and this EP is one of those occasions… Imagine, if you will, the somnambulant bliss of Broadcast mixed up with that distinctive Slint-style bass, the playful Bossa of a throwaway Stereolab B-Side and, perhaps most strikingly – a great big nod towards the glamorous-yet-underachieving shoegazers Lush… If you have an affinity for good, old fashioned indie pop with an educated twist and an understated edge, then go seek this one out if you possibly can.”
Vinyl Vulture

Monocle “Lounge Act” – Luna Kafe

Hidden Shoal Recordings — Fri, 10 Aug 2007 08:19:48 +0000

Excerpt – “Brooklyn’s Monocle have created an equally excellent EP in Lounge Act, featuring a breezy, jazz-pop sound reminscent of Stereolab and The Sea and Cake. “Secret Handshake” takes this breezy sound in the verses, and then overwhelms it with shoegazey guitar in the chorus, with Lucy Roche’s sweet vocals just about shining their way through the mix…”Hawaii”, a heavenly instrumental, ends the EP on a real high note, with a sound reminscent of The Flaming Lips’ masterpiece “Sleeping on the Roof”. Delayed guitars, spacey synth, luscious bass and an insistent ride cymbal – and is that marimba chiming through? – all add up to a blissful trip through the clouds.”

Luna Kafe

Monocle “Lounge Act” – Leonards Lair

Hidden Shoal Recordings — Fri, 10 Aug 2007 08:14:27 +0000

Excerpt – “That ability to evoke bored Sunday afternoons has arguably been done to death before by the likes of Anthony Rochester, Él Records artists and The Montgolfier Brothers but New York now gets in on the act via Monocle; a typically eccentric choice of name for this eccentric sound. Lazy melodies and blank female vocals are in abundance for this EP, which appears to be rather indebted to the Stereolab sound but as if they had signed to Cherry Red in the 1980s.”

Leonards Lair