The oldest written poem found on earth was about the one thing human beings have managed to understand the least about. An undeniable and pernicious emotion; Love. This treasured piece of history was discovered during an excavation in the Mesopotamian region in search of evidential accounts of the Old Testament. Pretty dramatic. Definitely groundbreaking. As human beings, we tend to solve all mysteries at stake. It is fascinating that, four thousand years later, we still cannot grasp such meaning and proceed to pour these intricate feelings into the hands of our most faithful friend; music.
Tucked away, under Barcelona’s emerging music scene, Montesco rely on the same intimacy within their songwriting. A Spanish, five-piece band excavated from a rocky lockdown who have come to surface their own love stories. However, instead of resting these on clay tablets – which, coming to think of it, would also be pretty cool – they expose themselves through an alternative affinity of psychedelic pop music.
They were absorbed within the Spanish music scene once their first sincerity was uncovered through their debut ‘Gardenias’ EP release in February last year (2022). They consider it a melodrama “following the journey of a toxic relationship, from falling in love, through discovery, cheating, to break up and resentment” they explain. No doubt, the musical journey humbles you into appreciating, what feels like, confidentiality towards their personal aches. For this very reason, those who feel this affliction but cannot summon the knowledge in order to face these feelings, require support from bands, such as Montesco, to be able to relate to them.
They tell me “We write songs from the most personal and sentimental part” on how they get their inspirational pulls. Once they translate the latter into sound we are welcomed by a trip back to the mid 80’s new romantics – a pretty bold statement bearing in mind I wasn’t around back then – but defined by elevating synths and transfixing harmonies absorbing us into a world of their own.
As we establish how the power of love prevails throughout the years, try and imagine wandering around Barcelona at midnight in an amorous cloud. This emotional representation of one’s deepest riddles within the city defines the band’s upcoming album they are currently working on. It is built on the combination of love, the city and the night. This will all reflect on the sound of an extension of “Gardenias” focusing more on electronic influences and the synth-pop dance scene. Or maybe try and picture a Spanish version of La Femme or Chromatics.
Nowadays, most people appreciate the lack of structure within music categorisation. You can almost taste the sense of freedom in their unlimited array of expressive liberties. Montesco do not shy from doing this and they are starting to take the lead in one of the most intriguing scenes in the industry today. Having played in various locations in Spain as well as appearances on Swedish soil at Viva Sounds Festival, they will be bringing their live sorcery back this 4th of May in Barcelona.
The band have created a strutting, love story ethos of which the next chapter is slowly unfolding. Be ready to experience o a new take on love from these tender souls.
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