One difficult feat of good music is its ability to transport listeners into a different and engaging world. Most New Yorkers live in cramped spaces that are often stifling; a reprieve is highly coveted. On Monogold’s debut full length, “The Softest Glow,” the trio guides listeners through multiple musical destinations. The band’s sound lies somewhere in the chaotic and unlikely intersection between Yeasayer, The Antlers and Animal Collective. As a three-piece band, Monogold can support catchy songs that extend beyond confined spaces or genres. Keith Kelly’s falsetto flirtatiously glides through twinkling keys in the album’s starting track, “Ivory Teeth Golden Tusk,” a cherubic welcome to the trio’s sensational, epic voyage through “The Softest Glow.” The energy of the album is raw — almost animalistic — in the sense that the direction of the songs appears to be driven by mood and spontaneity. This speaks of the band’s capability to play together very well, feeding off each other’s strengths and collectively moving as one. The tribalesque, frenetic rhythms feel exotic but ground the different sounds and textures. The album is an impressive debut that feels both foreign and familiar at the same time. Get out of your cramped quarters and witness Monogold’s teleportation skills at Pianos tonight for free! – Nancy Chow
