Monomyth, the hero’s journey; An epic journey with an unknown conclusion.
Monomyth stands for “thrilling instrumental soundscapes”, a rollercoaster ride in which the listener can lose themselves. It is the sound of five people searching for their musical boundaries and then moving beyond them. Monomyth transports you to another world, a place that feels both new and familiar. In the ranks, we find five people from different creative and musical backgrounds. Monomyth’s music is a complete experience, a collective statement by five like-minded identities.
S/T
The debut Monomyth (Burning World/Suburban, September 2013) is the call to adventure, a first exploration of the possibilities. The debut was recorded, produced and mixed by the band and because of this captures the natural sound of everyone’s individual musical contribution.
FURTHER
On the second album Further (Suburban, September 2014) the main theme is movement: the break through to the great unknown. Monomyth has now fused to a coherent whole and the sound moves from space rock to krautrock, from psychedelia to IDM, from major to minor and everything in between. Monomyth is a travel agency, a vehicle and a destination all in one.
EXO
With the new and third album Exo (Suburban, March 2016) Monomyth completes its own epic trilogy and sets foot ashore again. The concept, as commenced on S/T and Further, gets an exciting continuation. The main theme of Exo is the discovery and mapping of a completely new territory, with a few interesting surprises for the attentive listener. Again the technical possibilities are utilised to the fullest, both in the music and in the story underpinning the record. The, by now, very recognisable Monomyth style freely permeates the five new tracks, but the band also experiments with new elements. Besides ambient, prog, kraut and space rock, this time soul, dance and even unadulterated hard rock can be heard. All this is steeped in the production by Pieter Kloos, who manages to bring even more depth to the Monomyth sound. Clear, transparent and trance-inducing. Close your eyes and join the adventure.
THE BAND
Monomyth was founded in 2011 in The Hague. Instrumental music was the aim from the outset. With their experience as baggage, the members wholeheartedly set course toward their common musical goal: progressive transcendence. The Monomyth theory, conceived by Joseph Campbell, incorporates a systematic representation of an adventure. Monomyth translates this into music through concepts, in which the story lines help shape the adventure, into a musical form and in which concept, art and music fuse to a titillating whole. Monomyth plays music for “the mind, the body and the soul”.
THE MUSIC
The Monomyth sound contains all the ingredients of rock & roll, but in a totally unique way. The band wants to draw their audience into a trance, caused by shifting patterns, repetitions and drones. The result is a stirring brew with links to Pink Floyd, Hawkwind and Tool, but with the innovative force of modern techno and ambient. It is rock you can dance to and lose yourself in. The journey and the adventure are always centre stage. With their expressive sound, the music by this collective would not be out of place in a psychedelic road movie.
