Alcest + Mono at Bi Nuu / Sunday, 27.11.2016

The reasons for a joint tour of these two world-renowned bands are clear: With the means of darker and tougher noise elements, Alcest and Mono erect swellish soundscapes, incorporating the genres of post-rock and shoegaze, but produce something that takes on a life of its own. What is common to both is that their music achieves a form of crystalline purity and epic beauty, which may even be described as majestic.

[bandcamp width=100% height=120 album=3672356025 size=large bgcol=ffffff linkcol=0687f5 tracklist=false artwork=small] Founded in 2000, Alcest created the genre of “Blackgaze” by combining elements of Blackmetal and Shoegaze on their first EP ‘Le Secret’ of 2005 – a combination that was not yet available in the postmodern music cosmos. This band has been refined by frontman, vocalist, and guitarist Neige over four albums so far, the most recent being ‘Shelter’ of 2014. Their latest work is scheduled to be released before their joint tour with Mono, and is expected with great suspense.

“Pure, pure beauty” (The Quietus). Epic soundwaves, in which shoegaze guitar noise meets orchestral arrangements, have been the trademark of the Tokyo quartet Mono since 1999. The band has released nine albums since then – one of them with live orchestras – and has often toured around the world. Their instrumental rock swings effortlessly to a floating, monolithic size, earning them critical acclaim worldwide. Before the joint tour, they have announced the release of a new album, recorded in Steve Albini’s Chicago studio.

“This is music for the gods” (NME)