Interview By John Wisniewski for M.K. ULTRA Magazine
Monody have just released a stirring new seven-song EP entitled “Abandoned Wisdom,” their third release on the Pittsburgh-based label Distortion Productions. This trio’s new EP features an abundant bounty of electronics, percussion and vocal harmonies that was mastered by Krischan Jan-Eric Wesenberg of the band Rotersand. Monody members Daniel Edgar, David Battrick and Geoff Tripoli graciously gave us some time to discuss the new EP and to bring us up to date on the world of Monody.
-Bandcamp: https://monodyband.bandcamp.com/album/abandoned-wisdom
John Wisniewski: Since Monody all live in different places, what was the experience like recording the latest Monody EP “Abandoned Wisdom?”
DE: As with many groups, technology allows us to virtually write together, share demos, and even exchange tracks we may record on our own. However, as a band that wrote and played live together – years before we cut our first album, collaborating remotely isn’t as comfortable as being in the same room banging it all out together. We see each other multiple times a year for focused writing and recording sessions, and that really helps propel us through the times where we have to collaborate remotely. We plan to keep this up as long as our budgets allow.
GT: I personally find collaborating remotely a bit challenging and really love the times when we can just get together in person. Having to record vocals on my own is one of the harder bits, but on this EP I did seem to find a way to make it a bit easier. With this EP, there are tracks where the vocals are from when I recorded on my own, and I think that’s a first for us. I remember traveling to Dan’s place to record what I thought would be the “keeper” tracks and my voice was not cooperating, so we took a closer look at my “scratch” tracks and they had the performance we wanted, so we kept them.
JW: The new EP has songs that are signs of our time such as “Gaslight” and “Artificial Ignorance,” can you speak to the meaning of these songs?
DE: Artificial Ignorance is essentially a cautionary tale based on events history has recorded, and things unfolding before us. If you think about the Industrial Revolution of the 1800s and the rise of automation in the late 1900s, these were events that displaced the ‘traditional’ ways of doing things in the name of ‘progress’ and efficiency. I believe we’re at the cusp of another epoch of this sort. Instead of those that work with their ‘hands’ being casualties of the aforementioned events, the knowledge workers – ironically impressed with the cleverness of their creations may find themselves victims of their own success, leaving ultimately, the largest corporations reaping the benefits. The story in Artificial Ignorance is by no means a prediction, but a very plausible outcome if things play out that way. Something to think about and observe.
DRB: Gaslight was started from a CNN article on the subject and the definition of the term. As it moved from my hands to Dan’s and then to Geoff, lyrics were adjusted and made more personal. ‘Gaslight’ was a word that was being bantered about a lot a few years back, and in my research, this song evolved.
GT: The lyrics of Gaslight came to have a deep meaning to me personally after a close friend of mine started experiencing what seems like gaslighting on a regular basis with their partner. So, every time I hear that song, I think about that person. With Artificial Ignorance, I really think it can also be seen as complementary to all the literature and movies that have told the cautionary tale of A.I., like 2001, Terminator, Matrix, The Creator and the list goes on and on. We love these stories.
JW: Do you believe the new global political climate will influence the direction of music and art?
DE: Historically speaking, it always has. As a band, we try our best not to focus on political issues – we aspire to unite with our music rather than divide. What we write about isn’t usually ‘happy’, but at its core, our music is meant to resonate and identify with all those on this planet dealing with problems on a daily basis.
GT: Dan’s absolutely right, the global political climate has had a direct influence on music for ages. Some of the best art came from crazy times, like… the blues came out of the civil war, Vietnam generated a ton of anti-government songs, and the cold war prompted a lot of apocalyptic themed songs. The current climate is just as divisive, so I definitely expect it to be brought into modern art and I look forward to seeing how. We are not personally drawn to those kinds topics in our song writing though.
JW: What prompted you to record your version of Simon and Garfunkel’s “The Boxer” in 2022? What kind of reaction did you receive to your version of the song?
DE: Thank you for asking. It was a song that all three of us liked. It was one our parents listened to during our formative years. It was a novel work at the time it was written, and the appeal of bringing it over to the type of music we create seemed like a fun challenge. In terms of reactions, we heard some: “oh yeah, I know that song!” Or, “my parents like that song.” Or, my grandparents listened to that! 
GT: That song has always meant a lot to me. I consistently gives me chills whenever I hear the “Lie-la-lie…” parts. The song meant a little bit more to me lyrically after moving to NY during the pandemic and having a hard time adjusting to the winters there, and I just wanted to go “home”. It definitely felt like it was “bleeding me”. Regarding the reaction, I have heard a lot of positive comments and some surprised that we would take on a song like that, which is outside our particular style of music.
JW: Bands seem very divided on doing covers, what are your thoughts?
DE: In the beginning, we would only incorporate cover songs into our live shows – I can’t say why that was. However recently, we changed that. I can’t speak for other bands, but when we decide to record a cover, it is a simple rule: the song had to have inspired one or more of us (ideally all) in a significant way before we would consider it. There is an amazing amount of musical material that paved the way for all modern artists. Recording and releasing a cover is also a way to introduce a newer generation of listeners to works from the past they may never otherwise hear.
GT: We have been a bit divided at times as to what song to choose. We all have very different tastes, but we recognize good songwriting in whatever genre it comes from. I have a particular sticking point sometimes in that I want the majority of listeners to be able to recognize that it’s a cover when they hear it and not think it’s an original. So, even though there are some great deep cuts that would make good covers, I usually don’t go for those as much as Dan or Dave does. But, so far we have all been good and making compromises.
JW: Are there any new or emerging bands in the synth-pop or electronic genre that you like these days?
DE: It is really hard to keep up – things move so quickly. However, currently at the top of my playlist is Sleek Teeth. I believe they are a newer band out of Los Angeles. Their writing and production is fantastic, and I really like the refreshing character of the vocals.
DRB: Torul. Mono INC., Twin Tribes.
GT: I agree with Dave on Torul, but I have to be honest, I have had the hardest time finding synth-pop bands that I really want to listen to. I tend to compare them with my favorites, and I haven’t found many that really scratch that itch. I really want to see new material from bands that seem to have fallen off the face of the earth like Colony 5, Minerve, Cell 7, Backlash, shall I go on? In reality, I know there is great music out there waiting to be found, but I feel like the large streaming platforms really make it hard to find good stuff. I know I could put more effort into it as well though.
JW: Monody has a reputation for unique live shows. Can you talk about what sets you apart in the live environment?
GT: We really miss playing live. There is an energy there that just can’t be captured any other way. We have always loved marrying live acoustic drums with our synths. Back when we first started, it seemed like no one else was doing that in our genre. Since then, we have seen a lot more synth-pop bands adopt that setup for live shows. Dan and I are die-hard nerds, so any time we can introduce something techy into our live show, we want to do it. Dan wrote an iPhone app that interacted with our show lights or something, so the audience could have fun making stuff happen on stage during the shows. When we play live again, we are going to have to think about how we bring a concept like that up to date and enhance it.
JW: Are there any future plans or upcoming projects for the band that you would like to mention?
DE: Although we are geographically disperse, we all miss playing live. We look forward to some short stints on the road to support festivals, or in support of our next release, which we plan to be a full-length album.
GT: Ya, we have been talking about trying to put together a small string of live dates and/or a festival show and that would be a lot of fun. We are a bit rusty, but we really want to shake that off and get out there. But, no definite dates yet. With our upcoming album, we are wanting to work even more closely with Geoff Pinckney. He is a very talented musician, and we have been primarily contracting him for mixing work. On Artificial Ignorance, he contributed a lot musically to the song, and we would like to continue expanding the partnership we have built with him. We love what he has brought to our sound.