"Gray Area" - The Upcoming Release From M0NOGAMY

M0NOGAMY talks with 20 Watts about their band and their upcoming four-track release “Gray Area” arriving on Valentine’s Day.

By: Dayna Bhatti Roberts

Loungey, dark, moody. If any of these words appeal to you, I have the soon-to-be-released EP for you. M0NOGAMY is an up-and-coming indie band coming out with their first album this Valentine’s Day, and I will be the first to tell you that it is incredible. Their sound and lyrics create a glamorous and eerie mood that listeners are sure to be hooked to.

Inspired by a wide range of artists spanning from Justin Vivian Bond to Fiona Apple, “Gray Area” is a four-track album, each song just as unique as the last. My personal favorite of the project is “Big Rockstar, a popular choice amongst most listeners.

“The one we are the most excited about is ‘Big Rockstar’. The anticipation of that one is high, and I feel like it’s the one song on the EP where it’s hard to tell who wrote exactly what, something happened with it where neither of us was fully driving,” said Livia Reiner.

There is something electric about the chemistry displayed by the band. With both Storey Littleton and Livia Reiner’s stunning vocals, accompanied by Matthew Danger Lippman’s captivating guitar, you can tell there is a dynamic behind the scenes that makes their music all the more special.

“We had a lot of synchronicities in when we started writing the songs now on our EP. It drove home a sort of fated, meant-to-be feeling about us working together,” said Reiner. “One high was when we added Matthew, our guitarist’s parts, and we knew it was a part of our sound,” added Storey Littleton.

One of the aspects of the album that stands out most to me is the lyrics. The difficult conversations in the album are touched on through prose that is sure to be loved by listeners who enjoy meaningful listening. It is almost like snippets of a diary entry, something private we are being let in on. When I asked the band where they wanted their music to take them and where they wanted it to take others, I was met with both a cheeky and intelligent reply.

“For us, Montreal,” said Littleton. “For others, to the gray area; a place for conversations,” added Reiner.

Outside of the lyrics’ appeal, the mood of the album itself draws the listener in. Just as I started this piece, their album creates a specific sort of energy. It takes you to your bedroom, sprawled out and angsty scribbling in your journal. It takes you to roaming the streets of Prague at night. To wonder, to hope for what could be.

This EP is not something you want to miss out on, and M0NOGAMY is certainly a band to keep an eye on. With their creative, dynamic, and personal sound, they foster a tone music lovers are sure to latch on to. Familiar in its 70s and 90s blend, yet completely original, “Gray Area” is attention-grabbing and brilliant.