No Mono : Islands (Part 1)
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No Mono : Islands (Part 1)

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An icy dose of brooding indietronica describes the debut offering from Tom Iansek and Tom Snowdon’s No Mono.

From the label and talent behind Big Scary and #1 Dads, Islands (Part 1) is a largely understated affair. Crafted over the past three years, instrumentation and production from Iansek across the nine tracks is spare and bleak, filling just enough space to allow Snowdon’s mesmerising vocals to dominate.

Sharply initiated through ‘Violence Broken’, Snowdon’s ebb-and-flow delivery is as harrowing as it is reassuring. The fluctuating synth beneath ‘Butterflies’ is the auditory equivalent of a butterfly’s wings flapping in slow-mo – an apt descriptor for the slow-moving beauty of this album. Driving guitar and drums in ‘Future’ provide a slightly fast-paced alternative while staying true to the album’s dark emotion.

The slow pace makes Islands (Part 1) a challenging listen, but it becomes oddly comforting over repeat plays. Closer ‘Oh, This House Is Empty’ is simple and reflective with vocals over piano, but since it boasts a voice as powerful as Snowdon’s, vocals and piano are all it needs.

With a fresh take on emotive electronica, No Mono have firmly stamped themselves on the music landscape.

8.5