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coverpic flag Norway - Full Moon 56 - 05/07/01

Monopot
Taran EP
Smalltown Supersound/Voices of Wonder

With this new EP from the Norwegian masters of tristesse we can see a new side to the band. Not just Chicago-influenced post-wailing anymore, but they open up for quieter and more atmospheric songs. Especially song number one - Super Abundance is thrilling in its evocation of moods only created before by reading Edgar Allen Poe in front of the fireplace on a cold winters night. A bit short for this kind of song, clocking in at only 5 minutes, but this just leaves you wanting more. A bit more ambience than melody - quite brave to put this one first on the EP. Not to fear, the next two songs is Monopot back to the style they've learned from Codeine and Mogwai. Or maybe not, because this time they let the beautiful melodies stand alone. And not a tiny little hint of noise. Almost like they this time trust the arrangements to carry the songs alone. The only letdown is the inclusion of a remix of Sane from their album Something is Like Nothing Was. This atrocity is performed by another Smalltown Supersound artist - Kim Hiortøy, using worn out break-beats and some knob fiddling only to destroy a nice song. The less said the better. By this EP and play the first three songs.

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You may also want to check out our Monopot articles/reviews: Optipess, So What!, Oslo, 23.03.2000, Something is Like Nothing was.

© 2011 Luna Kafé