“The place where I’m taking my inspiration from is a place of pure harmony and light. I’m just like everyone else – I’m very anxious, I have my issues and demons, but there is a place inside me which is much more in peace and harmony, so I took inspiration from this part of myself, rather than the dark part.” As the world we live in grows darker and more bewildering with every passing day, the transformative power of music has never been more vital. Formed in the small French town of Bagnols-sur-Cèze at the dawn of the century, underground icons Alcest have always been clear about their desire to transport listeners to somewhere different, somewhere better. Led by founder and multi-instrumentalist Neige, the French artists have been one of the most consistently radical voices in all of heavy music, with a sound that eschews metal’s often myopic devotion to casting shadows, in favour of a sublime blend of darkness and blinding bright light.

This instrumental band was formed in February of 2000 in Tokyo, Japan. Since then, MONO has quickly piqued interests in both audience and critics alike by staging overwhelming, emotionally splendid, atmospheric performances. In September of 2000, MONO released a 4-song EP called Hey, You. EP, released on Forty-4 Records, which received exceptional reviews in both Japan and the US. In March 2001, MONO performed at SXSW, broadening their fan base. In December 2001, the band’s long-awaited debut full-length album, Under the Pipal Tree, was released on John Zorn’s TZADIK imprint. The album was well received by a variety of influential underground media outlets.