It’s been a while since we last heard from The Mono Polys. In January, founding member Josh Harrison said he was leaving the band to “pursue other musical interests” and the release date for Identity got pushed back a bit. Now though, 15 months since 2014’s Blossom EP, the four-track is being prepared for release, and we’re invited to see how far they’ve come on.
Listening through, Identity isn’t fundamentally very different to what we’ve heard before. ‘Funeral’ and the first half of ‘Identity’ are particularly reminiscent of some of the softer aspects of 2012’s Pavilion, which means more New Wave – Post Punk nostalgia and some quite challenging ideas floating about. Perhaps the aptness of the EP is that the band do indeed seem to be finding their identity slowly but surely as something influenced by but clearly distinguishable from other acts. Lyrically, the band have always tended to tackle delicate issues or their own social criticisms pretty head on, but Identity seems to show a development of tact or subtlety in parts. The strengths are undoubtedly in the clever commentaries, though there is a lot of potential in some of the more overtly charged lyrics, and The Mono Polys do seem to be developing their songwriting abilities quite consistently.
And the band do know how to write a song. From the simplicity of ‘You Think You Know it All’ (Pavilion) which was based around a series of 0s, 10s and 12s to some of the more wild and experienced instrumentals in the second half of ‘Identity’ or the solos of ‘b.e.r.l.i.n’, neat little guitar riffs and well-engineered drum parts give substance to Identity. The production seems to tie in well with the band’s style, and overall it comes together as a tidy little venture.
Starting out with a bit of The Cure, moving into an air of Joy Division and finishing with a sense of The Mono Polys, Identity does serve to suggest that the band are on their way to perfecting their sound and approach to it, and it’s definitely a strong step in the right direction.
4/5
Identity is out on the 25th May 2015.
Words by James