The Starting... by Monkeey

"There's an intrinsic quality to Monkeey's 'The Starting' that harkens back to the earliest beginnings of Already Dead. Artists creating freely, not limited by genre or traditional thinking about what can be music or what comprises an album. There's a free flowing nature to 'The Starting', each track shifting styles, while creating a seamless experience that is both dynamic and engaging. The album lays down a groundwork of dark ambient and experimental electronic, while branching out in unique and spontaneous ways. Album opener "hate is a strong word for love" combines melody, drones and synths for something reminiscent of an instrumental Xiu Xiu tune, while "beware" takes the listener into an 80's style synth ballad. "Document 34" offers a spin on experimental pop, while "what have you done" is straight up electro-rock. Highlights come in the form of the sprawling ambient tune "why is her ghost still here" and the harsh rhythms of "I wrote this for that girl", two tracks which perfectly showcase the contrast found within the album's 41 minute running time.

All this serves as a testament to the diversity and exploration found on 'The Starting'. Monkeey has crafted a work that is challenging at times, and comforting at others. Through these 16 tracks you hear the process of artist finding themselves, while providing a rich tapestry for repeated listening."
- Joshua Tabbia, Already Dead Tapes, 2016

All genre record label focused on small edition cassette, vinyl, and VHS releases.

Est. 2009

alreadydeadtapes.com