Looking every inch the amalgamation of every spoddy sixth form grunge band from before 1992 and sounding like a few motorik pop bands after (somewhere between Saloon and Pavement), It Hugs Back are an intriguing act to experience. At times brilliantly buoyant, at times too lost in introspection to deliver the monopop they gravitate towards, they still manage to win over the crowd in the always sweet-smelling Borderline. One suspects they work better on record, though.
Still, Monade exhibit no such dualities. They are the most multifunctional pop band you're likely to see, equal parts dreamy, calculated and natural. The focal point is still Laetitia Sadier for the most part, but the band itself has become deliciously more whole since the release of their last record. The basslines of Marie Merlet were important before, but they are now confidently imbued with playful exuberance – no acrobatic feat is too silly-sounding, and no vocal harmony can't be conquered by her and Sadier. At one point, they effortlessly straddle a gap of a ninth without any warning or reference points, usually the preserve of two singers grappling with Berio sequenzas.
Tracks from Monade's third LP, Monstre Cosmic, are longer, more enveloping and more elaborately constructed than anything Sadier has penned before. Each instrument is used cleverly and wisely maximised and related to every other at the right times to vary the dynamics much as possible, and the beautiful vocal harmonies rest on top like a mere genius afterthought. The climactic 'Wash And Dance' from their A Few Steps More LP is Monade's sound distilled – constantly shifting and dreamily evolving towards several climaxes, the arched synths making a rather believable argument for their dominance in the line-up, until the voices come back in.
There's an awful lot to digest for a line-up where a maximum of only six things can possibly be going on at one time. It's beautifully taut and considered, but intimate and warm at the same time. Gag, it's difficult to write a review of Monade… they're better than reviews. Cleverer, above them. What we will say is that if you would like to witness the most natural and organic uses of rock 'n' roll instruments, explore and get pleasantly lost in music, Monade are an excellent jumping-off point.
