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"With "Welcome To The Machine", Monkey achieves the perfect blend between its progressive impulses and its undeniable appetite for Space Rock. One of the best albums of 2024."
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4/5
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Obviously, 'Welcome To The Machine' is the name of a Pink Floyd song, featured on "Wish You Were Here" (but need we say it, especially on Music Waves?). It's now also the title of a Monkey3 album. Did the Swiss choose it deliberately? You'd be forgiven for thinking so, especially as the proximity between their often soaring music and that of the British dinosaur is very real, especially on this album, but we'll come back to that later.
One thing is certain, however: the successor to "Spheres" was eagerly awaited, for at least two reasons. Firstly, because the band hadn't produced anything in almost five years. That's a long time, a very long time indeed. Too long, especially since, in a career spanning just over twenty years, Monkey3 have established themselves as one of the spearheads of instrumental, stoner, progressive or space rock (call it what you will) post-rock. Each new offering is therefore eagerly awaited, always promising a Grail of sound, both powerful and emotional.
Although in the same vein as its predecessors, "Spheres" showed a clear evolution towards progressive rock. Will its successor continue this slide? Given the length of some of its tracks (three of which break the ten-minute barrier) and the aforementioned borrowing from Pink Foyd, it would be tempting to answer in the affirmative. It's true that the spacey middle section of the inaugural 'Ignition' is at times reminiscent of "Shine On Your Crazy Diamond", while the guitars are always in the habit of reaching for the heavens. And what can we say about the terminal 'Collapse', a veritable cosmic epic, a soaring, pulsating elevation but always with the band's own way of unfolding in all its burgeoning, immersive force, progressing like a rollercoaster.
However, "Welcome To The Machine" contrasts with its predecessor on a more massive level, perfectly embodied by "Rackman", a fairly classic composition for Monkey3, but one which precisely synthesizes what we love so much about them, that combination of racy power and heart-rending beauty. After a slow, almost spectral opening, the track takes off halfway through, hardening its features without losing its hypnotic dimension. Driven by those intrepid guitars against a back of sprawling percussion, the final minutes are exceptional. An unmissable future without a doubt.
The future, in fact, is discussed throughout this album, inspired by SF and film classics ("2001: A Space Odyssey", "Solaris", "1984", "Matrix"...), a reflection on the future of Humanity as its creators themselves describe it. What place will machines occupy in the future? Will they replace human beings and turn them into slaves? Unless humans themselves become machines. Given the speed with which AI has become part of our society, this is not such an absurd question. In any case, this theme sets the dark, even despairing mood of an album which, however, does not manage to make it depressing; on the contrary, it is a salvific work in many respects.
As ever, there are no superlatives to describe the music of Monkey3, who, with "Welcome To The Machine" (one of the best albums of 2024, no doubt), achieve the perfect blend between their progressive impulses and their undeniable appetite for seismic flights of fancy. Welcome to the band's universe, if you're not already familiar with it! - Official website
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TRACK LISTING:
01. Ignition - 10:38 02. Collision - 06:03 03. Kali Yuga - 10:01 04. Rackman - 07:13 05. Collapse - 12:50
LINEUP:
Boris: Guitares Db: Claviers Jalil: Basse Walter: Batterie
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(0) MIND(S) FROM OUR READERS
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Top of the page
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(1) COMMENT(S)
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READERS
5/5 (3 view(s))
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STAFF:
4/5 (6 view(s))
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"Osmium out now !" |
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OTHER REVIEWS
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OTHER(S) REVIEWS ABOUT MONKEY3
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