Robbie & Mona - EW Review
Robbie & Mona’s whole ethos is cemented in doing things the wrong way. EW is an album in subversion of reality and normality.
Challenging the boundaries of tradition is a defining part of Robbie & Mona’s hallmark. As a couple-duo who are also members of emo-indie collective Pet Shimmers, the two break free from structural band norms and make music outside of expectation. But, they also transcend the realms of dream-pop, not allowing themselves to succumb to the haze of the genre. Instead, they forge their own subset - erratic and psychedelic glitch-pop.
On their debut album EW, Robbie & Mona experiment with different sonic palettes to craft a record which plays like a film soundtrack. With expansive, cinematic soundscapes, it’s easy to tell that the duo were inspired by Lynchian elements as they throw caution to the wind when it comes to every aspect of their hypnotic production.
Opening with ‘Fidelity’, this track is an impressive introduction to Robbie & Mona’s style. Heavily textured and surreal, ‘Fidelity’ serves as the first act of EW, building tension through atmospheric lo-fi sounds. Second track ‘Slow Club LUV’ is much more jarring and denotes the initial foray into the duo’s formidable experimental efforts. Weaving into the similar ‘Queen Celine’, which is deliciously exciting, Robbie & Mona layer interpolated vocals over hard hitting hi-hat and synth-work. At the 1:22 mark, the song briefly and suddenly cuts out, then we are left with the uncomfortable sounds of eerie electronic jabs to bring the track to a close.
At this point, you’ll have worked out whether this album is for you. Robbie & Mona are unashamedly bold and it shows; you’ll either love them or hate them. Yet still, we listen on through to ‘Cherry Fish’, with its tempered drums and woozy synth. It seems at first a much more languid track than we’ve heard so far, and the sweetness of Mona A.K.A. Eleanor Gray’s voice drips down the sides of it. Despite being the lengthiest track of the album, it would be unfair to expect consistency from a duo who never play it safe - and we do see a shift in production for the song’s chorus.
Breaking up the beautiful chaos is a piano interlude track, titled ‘The Carpenter’, which once again pertains to the record’s movie-like feel. Then we are right back in the action with ‘Wallpaper’, which opens with an unnerving bed of sound melding into an upbeat, bass-driven track. Transitioning into ‘Picking Up Ruby’, Robbie & Mona permit us no breathing room as we are hit with a wall of heady percussion and purposeful guitar riffs backing layered harmonies and distorted electronic accompaniment.
Towards the end of the album, penultimate track ‘Venice’ introduces left-field brass instrumentation which permeate the track’s woozy comedown, finishing on a high that the listener is willed to ride out to the end. Finally comes ‘Crocodile Pears’, subdued yet soaring; with flutters of Japanese koto, the closer track carries glitchy motifs in its flurries of electronic and synth sounds.
Admittedly, this album isn’t for everyone. It could be marketed as a single 20 minute long song and still evoke the same feelings. However, I don’t reckon this record is forgettable by any means. Robbie & Mona’s whole ethos is cemented in doing things the wrong way. EW is an album in subversion of reality and normality.