Music Mondays: MONO

Happy Monday everyone!

This week I am going to catch you early with a beautiful song by MONO. “Halcyon (Beautiful Days)” is a track from their 2004 album Walking Cloud and Deep Red Sky, Flag Fluttered and the Sun Shined. This Japanese instrumental rock band has been making waves since they formed in 1999, and show no signs of slowing down. They have a considerable international fanbase, having toured in Sweden, the US, and Taiwan, among other countries.

Even though we can easily discover music from Asia that is lyrically well-written or fun to listen to, the need for popular tracks can often compromise the quality of the underlying melody. Sometimes it is easy to see that the market has become oversaturated with music exuding a certain message or feeling, so that one cannot find a song that perfectly grasps how one feels.

MONO strips the song free of any words and brings us back to the composition of the song, note by note. Their music can be considered influenced by post-rock or shoegaze, although their sound is distinctly more tender and harrowing than those that they have cited as influences, including Sonic Youth and My Bloody Valentine.

I hope you enjoy their passionate energy in this video, as they are known for their live performances.

Have a wonderful week!