The rain that has beleaguered California all week is finally scudding towards me here in New Mexico. And not just me, I suppose. There are other people here, too, but that’s what I’m all about. Me, me, me. It’s gray and cloudy. By tonight we should see snowfall. And that’s Monade weather.
Monade is a side project of Laetitia Sadier, the breathy, melodic voice of Stereolab. The band is about to release its third album, so I suppose it’s more than a side project, and the music is different enough to feel like it’s coming from a unique entity. The name (according to anonymous sources) has something to do with a theory of childhood development and a part of the brain that hasn’t learned to like raisins. Or something. Not sure. Although in a Magnet interview, Sadier points out that the root of Monade is “mono.”
Monade’s music is contemplative and floaty. Many compositions are instrumental. Often they take liberties with time signatures and rhythm patterns. This song (I’m posting “Cache Cache” for you below) is no exception. It hums along till about minute 3:10 and then shifts, finishing off with a buttery guitar lick over a metronome rhythm. It’s like lazing in a hammock on a hot summer’s evening. Or in my case, like bundling up inside with hot chocolate and a laptop and a problematic scene to work on.
I mentioned that they have a third album, but in truth, it’s not out yet. That’s coming in February, and it’s called Monstre Cosmic (my god, that cover’s cute!) You can hear a new song from that one here. “Cache Cache” is from Socialisme ou Barbarie, which came out in 2003. But you get the idea. We’ll be revisiting Monade soon.
Monade: myspace, Too Pure page, itunes
