Coming from D.C., the band City-State knows a thing or two about monuments. Their debut, Monument, is much like the off-kilter, monochromatic structure featured on their album cover. The scene depicted on both the album and in the picture is dark with an incandescent glow, musically in the form of moody post-punk rhythms and vocals highlighted by a lively guitar.
The band’s debut introduces them in a statuesque, yet forceful, mood and capable of staggering their sound through sharp half-beats. Monument kicks off with "Great Lakes", a stark piano dirge that develops into a dense, crashing rumble. Drums lumber along while violins and guitars intersperse solos. "Mary" is a rolling, depressive punk ballad heavily driven by a piercing guitar. "The Dakota" shimmers as guitars, drums, and vocals take turns racing through rain-soaked city streets. While there’s an overall slow pace to Monument, individual melodic patterns and rhythms add a solid sense of agility.
City-State’s dark debut, Monument, is different from its post-punk colleagues by virtue of its interesting quick-slow dynamic. Low melodies, echoes, and thick pace are countered by dueling guitars, slick half-beats, and glassy solos. The intricacies within the album play off their measured backgrounds with diggable skill.
