The Mono LPs pine for a relationship that once was on single ‘You Say’

Liverpool up-and-comers The Mono LPs have certainly been an exciting band to watch for their unique and eclectic blend of psychedelia, 80s Brit-pop, 70s rock, jazz and orchestral music. The release of the follow-up to their debut album, ‘Shuffle / Play’ in 2021, only further solidified their standing as a forward-pushing musical force and their single, 'You Say'  is no exception.

Close to seven minutes long, 'You Say'  is an experimentally intoxicating foray into the psyche of yearning for love in decline; marked by an ever-present melancholy in the first half and a rapturous acceptance in the second. 

The track begins with a wobbly synth that is slowly greeted with a looming yet warm piano passage and fluttering saw bass and cello, all over top a steady kick and snare beat and elongated violin note. This ambient swell takes us into the first verse, "I don't know just what to do / Cause all I am is thought of you / We dance around the living Room but now you're fine much too soon”. 

From this section that establishes our primary characters, we move into the chorus where the narrator pines for their lover’s affection one final time in the lines, "You say exactly what you want now, exactly what you like and everything will be alright / Love me if only for an hour, if only for tonight and everything will be alright."

After an equally arresting second verse and chorus combo, we get a descending piano and violin melody countered with a two-note ascension into an ominous, heavy synth bass solo. From there, various strings and harmonies are progressively layered on top of one another until it crescendos to a lush orchestral arrangement that sees the song out. This section is slightly reminiscent of Johnny Greenwoods orchestral works, both in his solo film scores and in Radiohead songs like 'The New National Anthem' and 'Burn the Witch'.

'You Say'  is an ethereally chilling and raw venture into love and desire and a fantastic listen for fans of acts like Hozier and composers such as Nathan Johnson. 

 

Kenneth Butcher

@kazu_kb 

Image: 'You Say' Official Single Cover