Linger by Mondaze

A message on the wall reads, "We don't want to return to normal because normal was the problem." A daily routine of unnatural alarms, alienating commutes, an ever-more relentless work pace, and artificially induced desires pushing us to consume things we don't need. Monotonous meals, harmful food, and a self-imposed numbness as we sit in front of streaming platforms, losing sleep until the last possible moment. Then the alarm rings again, and the cycle repeats, with even more exhaustion and less focus.

This is exactly what Mondaze touches on in their latest album, Linger (Bronson Recordings), a follow-up to their 2021 debut Late Bloom. "The album arose from a sense of alienation from a world devoid of contemplation," the band explains. "A world where finding moments of stillness in everyday life has become rare." Life has become an experience of watching from the sidelines, distracted and unaware of what’s right in front of us.

The album delves deep into themes of memory and loss, resistance and rebirth. It presents a dualism, balancing the delicate beauty of ethereal melodies with the intense power of a wall of sound. This back-and-forth builds and tears down emotional landscapes and mindscapes alike. If shoegaze stands for anything in the annals of indie music, it’s the sonic expression of a state of "uncomfortable numbness"—a form of escape from reality, hidden beneath layers of distorted guitars and distant vocals. It's a sound that more effectively encapsulates the discomforts of ultramodern life than any statement could. While mainstream music moves towards hyper-produced pop and ever-grander spectacles, shoegaze has become the preferred voice for younger generations who feel adrift, with few points of reference.

In this context, Mondaze's sound stands out with its originality. Their music is the result of a synthesis of various influences—from punk and hardcore to metal—forming a voice that uniquely captures the anxieties of today’s world.

The album is introduced by its title track, ‘Linger’, a single that explores memory and nostalgia—two deeply significant emotions in this era. The lyrics reflect the struggle to block out memories that inevitably surge back with uncontrollable force. Despite the passing of time, the past remains trapped within.

Since forming in 2018, Mondaze has defined themselves as "heavy shoegaze," taking inspiration from bands like genre-giants Swervedriver and Ride, but also contemporary bands that are pushing shoegaze through the limits like Nothing and Ringo Deathstarr. With Linger, they aim to amplify the melancholic tones within their frustration and rage. These sonic characteristics drove them to work with Chris Fullard (who’s collaborated with Idles and Boris) on mixing, and Maurizio Baggio (The Soft Moon, Boy Harsher) for mastering. The result is an album with roots, yet distinctly modern in its direction and sound with arrangements able to perfectly synthesise a modern approach to dreamy-eerie landscapes. Guitars in Linger are back as a center for world-making as they really foster sensations through music with refined overlaps where influences merge expressing modern-day-wise sensibility.

Tracks like ‘Driving Out the Weeds’ and ‘Son of the Rambling Dawn’ (the latter being their second single) take a more visceral, physical approach. The band describes Driving Out the Weeds as “a call for regeneration through pain,” while Son of the Rambling Dawn explores “the transient nature of life and the inescapable fate that comes with it, where uncertainty prevails, and everything is bound to change.”

The opening track, ‘Lines of You’ (which will also feature an official video), showcases the recurring tension between presence and absence, reflecting how this internal struggle is ever-present in daily life. Haunted by lingering ghosts and memories that refuse to fade, Mondaze’s melancholy isn’t merely a stylistic element—it’s a deep exploration of the collective labyrinths faced by a generation longing for connection. Tracks like ‘Dusty Eyes’ reflect on alienation and the pain of loss, portraying an image of fragile hope blurred at the edges, like a flickering candlelight that attempts to cut through inner darkness but falls short of providing real comfort.

“We often strive to act as rationally as possible, but inevitably end up feeling empty and numb,” the band reflects on the broader implications of their work, “This album is about contemplation,” they continue, “but there’s also an element of action, a kind of non-action that comes from the awareness gained through reflection.”

The fleeting nature of life is a key theme in A Butterfly’s Last Dance. Here, the butterfly symbolizes a brief moment of freedom and beauty, a moment destined to quickly fade. The lyrics convey a sense of stillness in the face of this beauty, as if there’s no time to resist or hold onto it, encouraging a reflection on the inevitability of change.

With Linger, Mondaze return with a sound that is as powerful as it is necessary in the times we live in. There’s a strength that stems from reflection and observation. Their music taps into the deep emotions of generations unwilling to return to the "normal" of the past. More than anything, it’s a statement that aims to carve out an important chapter in indie rock—a chapter that, though rooted in Italy, speaks the international language of modern times, one that Mondaze embrace with confidence, unafraid to stand on the shoulders of giants!

Formed in Faenza in 2016, Mondaze debuted with the demo Healing Dreams in 2018. In 2021, they released Late Bloom, an immersive album blending fuzz-heavy shoegaze, grunge immediacy, downtempo melancholy, and a raw hardcore edge. In 2024, they return with Linger, exploring alienation through a more mature sound, balancing ethereal melodies and intense walls of noise.

bandmondaze.bigcartel.com
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