When one of the most prominent bands in the world of post-rock joins forces with a leading Japanese electronica act, instinct suggests that something pretty special is in the pipeline. Quite what to expect is another matter; will the end result be in the vein of 65daysofstatic, with beat-laden quiet-loud dynamics? Or perhaps something of a more ambient nature, more akin to The Album Leaf? Surprisingly, Mono and World’s End Girlfriend’s collaborative album Palmless Prayer/Mass Murder Refrain is neither; what we find ourselves with is a haunting, achingly beautiful release, for which a ‘neo-classical’ tag seems most fitting.
Imagine taking the bleakest, most desolate-sounding passages from the works of Godspeed You! Black Emperor (‘Dead Flag Blues’ being a prime example). Combine these with the most ethereal soundscapes by Sigur Ros along with a smattering of Max Richter at his most depressive. Then, and only then, can you start to comprehend just how exquisitely funereal Palmless Prayer/Mass Murder Refrain actually is. Throughout the five untitled tracks, string arrangements and piano intertwine effortlessly, often with the subdued tremolos of Mono’s guitars playing in the background. Tracks 3 and 5 show tantalising glimpses of the Mono we’ve come to know and love as guitars rise to the fore, with the same insistent cadence being repeated, as mournful strings and crashing drums help forge thunderous crescendos. Even with the guitars and drums – not to mention the occasional emergence of a ghostly voice – the album has a marked orchestral feel throughout.
Palmless Prayer/Mass Murder Refrain should appeal to post-rock and neo-classical music lovers alike, and deserves to reach an even wider audience. In fact, the only group I’d advocate not to buy the album are those with suicidal tendencies – I’d really hate to read “jumped off a cliff after listening to the Mono/World’s End Girlfriend collaboration” in the obituary section any time soon. Truly, it is a breath-taking offering to rival Gorecki’s 3rd Symphony in terms of sheer lugubriousness. Avoid at your peril, for this is one of the finest albums I’ve ever had the pleasure of listening to.
-Richard White