Mono Mochi – Whatkeepsmewakingup
Similar artists: King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard, Tame Impala, Pond, Temples, Psychedelic Porn Crumpets
Genre: Indie Rock, Alternative Rock
There’s a natural cycle that makes things go from “cool” to “lame” and back again. Some things are immune to this, but music styles are not one of these. In fact, the people who play music, as well as those whose job is to sell it, know that this is an art form with a clear expiration date written out in big red letters on the packaging.
Dungeons & Dragons, Rubik’s cubes and progressive rock always seemed destined to suffer this fate. The love they received from many was earnest and intense. But the same people, when facing ridicule, turned their back and disowned their work. Still, had they waited enough, they would’ve found themselves back in fashion. The cycle is bound to repeat endlessly.
Progressive rock has made a comeback of late. It’s disguised itself, however, as a fun-loving, charming kind of pop aberration. And it’s work. Mono Mochi’s “Whatkeepsmewakingup” is a fun, hilarious, meme-worthy song. But it’s also a ship on a long journey. It’s musical proficiency and a desire to push boundaries that are pushing the ship forward. Mono Mochi may disguise who they are behind jokes and nonchalance, but they’ll eventually end up playing in Yes and Genesis cover bands.
Burn Kit – Release
Genre: Indie-Rock, Alternative-Rock
Books promising to help understand micro gestures are just flying off the shelves. Most of them, as it turns out, are just playing with our expectations. Don’t expect to spot the killer by the way that they move their eyebrows any time soon. Instead, just focus on the things that all of us seem to understand. Frowns and smiles are universal and rarely tell you something false.
People smile when they try to make friends and want to get you to buy a used car. People frown when they want to keep people away. Thankfully, some music can be understood in much the same way. It’s the music that was created out of an instinctive response to pleasure or to pain. When it does it job well, it takes little to understand just what it is trying to achieve.
It takes precisely 5 seconds to understand whether the folks in Burn Kit are happy or angry. “Release” is a song that could be played to people who have never heard English in their entire lives, and it would make no difference. The direct guitar riffs and shouted vocals, which fit nicely into the modern post-punk niche, will tell you everything you need to feel. And, because it gets to the point right away, it can prove a great assistance to your day if you’re feeling the same way.
