We here at Everything Is Noise are always happy to premiere good music, and today is definitely no exception! A few days ahead of its release this Friday, we have an opportunity for you to stream the entirety of Holy Monitor‘s new album Southern Lights. It is a groovy, psychedelic piece of work that I can describe as nothing less than a journey. This is the kind of album to haze out to with some good headphones and just soak into the sweet reverb and meandering instruments.
Holy Monitor were founded in Athens, Greece during the summer of 2015 by guitarist Stefanos Mitsis, singer/guitarist George Nikas, keyboardist Vangelis Mitsis, bassist Alex Bolpasis, and drummer Dimitris Doumouliakas. Since then they have been steadily turning out quality music, and Southern Lights is no exception to add to their impressive catalogue. It was recorded live which gives it a richer quality of life, and feels more focused than their previous efforts, with more precise songwriting.
The album opens with “River”, slowly building up into a powerful, repetitive groove swirling with proggy keys and gentle, tender vocals. “Naked in the Rain” is a trip from the Bacchanalian frenzied rites. Holy Monitor‘s wild, intoxicating psychedelic vibes take listeners into a hedonistic, mad dance to exorcise the rain and revolt against reality. “Blue Whale” is floating under a lysergic tinged pop effort, filled with warm and comforting reverb-drenched guitars. “The Sky is Falling Down” is charged with swirling bass lines trapped in a cyclonic whirlwind of fuzzed-out guitar riffs. Holy Monitor’s third full-length release is painted with luscious soundscapes with a healing feeling of connecting with unspoiled nature. With a runtime of thirty-nine minutes packing in eight sonically diverse tracks, there’s something for everyone within the confines of Southern Lights.
This is an album that is sure to be in my regular rotation for the next couple months, and will be everything a fan of reverb laden, psychy, deserty krautrock needs in their lives. Be sure to give Southern Lights a listen and if you like what you hear, you can find pre-orders here. There’s a limited press of a really slick vinyl, so if that’s your kind of thing, don’t wait too long! You can follow Holy Monitor on Bandcamp, Facebook, and Instagram for more news directly from the band. Southern Lights is out this Friday, February 26 through Blackspin – Primitive Music.
