Context has made a huge impact on my listening experience of Mono's You Are There. My introductory spins were made while I did my typical morning routine of surfing the internet in an attempt to defer writing my Master's thesis. In this respect, Mono's epic post-rock thunder may have seemed appropriate to document my everlasting internal struggle between work and inactivity, but instead the songs felt like eternal exercises in a gloomy mood that I had already heard before. When it was time to take more serious consideration, I relaxed with a good book and let Mono be my soundtrack a few times. The difference was immense, and on the best occasion, the most melodic and focused track, "Moonlight," carried me through the heart-racing climax of the book. As satisfying as this experience was, though, I can't shake the feeling that I've heard this sort of epic music before, even from Mono themselves, and they just aren't bringing enough to really differentiate the album from similar work. However, if Mono's music is truly cinematic, perhaps I should treat the album a bit more like a movie. I watch a disgusting amount of movies per week (usually about ten), and even movies I think are excellent will only get watched once. Only truly exceptional films get watched twice. At that, Mono provided one quite wonderful listen, and I should be content that they provided such enjoyment even once.
1. The Flames Beyond The Cold Mountain
2. A Heart Has Asked For The Pleasure
3. Yearning
4. Are You There?
5. The Remains Of The Day
6. Moonlight
More about: Mono
