by Dan Goldin (@post_trash_)

If you truly want to understand the majesty that is Monobody’s sophomore album Raytracing you truly just need to give it a listen with undivided attention. I’m fairly certain its considered “bad journalism” to start a review by saying “just listen to it” but sometimes rules were meant to be thrown out the window, an ethos that Monobody show and prove time and again. The Chicago quartet have made a name for themselves over the last few years for being unpredictable but refined, lacing their own thread of jazz fusion, prog, math rock, and beyond. The results are complex in theory but not in delivery, Monobody rattle the cage without a squawk, their technical prowess in full display but delivered with a natural grace. It’s really something to behold.

Chicago’s best two bass band since the days of Dianogah, is driven by Al Costis (bass, vibraphone, lap steel guitar) and Steve Marek (bass) with everyone’s favorite musical polymath Nnamdi Ogbonnaya (drums) rounding out the rhythm section. The penchant for shifts in time and tempo from movement to movement and one storming suite to the next. The instrumental band which also includes Collin Clauson (keyboards) and Conor Mackey (guitar, keyboards, vibraphone, programming) prove adept on every surface from free form clamor and dizzying polyrhythms (“Ilha Verde”) to the occasional prog synth space voyage (“Former Islands”). There’s as much King Crimson in Monobody’s DNA as there is Tony Williams. The more knotted and frenzied Monobody play it, the greater the release. They offer you the calm before the storm before leaping directly into the eye of the hurricane, each moment as jaw dropping as the next. Seriously though, just give it a listen already.