The Last Mixed Tape

Rhythm & Pals, the début album from Dublin outfit I Hear the Monster Hero, is a joyously contorted take on the psych-pop genre.

Melding a veritable melting pot of sound, sudden blasts of noise, gritty found sound parts and distorted harmonic tones engulf the central pop influences that form the core of I Heart the Monster Hero’s music.

From the manic screeching and scratching of ‘Bozo Vs Slug’ to the slow-burning vocal harmonies of ‘Do Dah’ to the bouncing beat of ‘Little Gem’, I Heart the Monster Hero off-set and augment these elements with an almost cubist approach to their sound, which sees the band take the structure of their songs as starting point and then rip them apart sonically, only to reassemble them once again.

The vivid creativity and broad spectrum of Rhythm & Pals is maintain throughout the album, as new unexpected textures and tonal shifts take place within the L.P’s running time.

Not only do I Heart the Monster Hero create a sense of frantic dynamic aspect to the songs themselves but the group also imbue the album this approach, wherein ‘Clipper 61’ highlights the band’s ability to write hook-laden indie-pop the serene ambience of ‘Madeline’ quickly follows it.

A perfect encapsulation of Rhythm & Pals infectious sound comes from ‘Send Good Vibes Only’. Moving from the taut tension of the it’s introduction to the swaggering distorted vocal of the verse the blending of sonic elements within the song is captivating and a sheer pleasure to experience.

With Rhythm & Pals I Heart the Monster Hero have created an album of great contrast, constantly evolving and changing both it’s shape and scope the L.P works as uncompromising début from a band that simply permeate creativity on all levels. There’s an undeniable euphoria to this album and demands to be experienced in full.

Rating: 9/10

Rhythm & Pals by I Heart the Monster Hero is due on June 30th.