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 

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 

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 

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