Holy Monitor presents their third full-length album, »Southern Lights«, out now via Blackspin Records / Primitive Music

Greek psych-rockers Holy Monitor presents their third full-length album, »Southern Lights«, which just dropped on February 26th, 2021 via Blackspin Records / Primitive Music. »Southern Lights« is an astonishing and affecting follow up to their 2020 critically acclaimed EP release, »This Desert Land«.

Holy Monitor is a psychedelic rock quintet whose sound incorporates elements of krautrock, space-rock and ambient music. The band’s reverb-soaked vocals crawl beneath waves of pulsating minimal rhythms, while fuzz driven guitars and proggy keys create a hypnotic sonic ambience. Holy Monitor deal exclusively in hypnotic ambience and utopian soundscapes.

Tracklist:
01. River
02. Naked In The Rain
03. Blue Whale
04. Southern Lights
05. The Sky Is Falling Down
06. Hourglass
07. Ocean Trail
08. Under The Sea

Produced by Holy Monitor.
Recorded and mixed by Alex Bolpasis at Suono Studio.
Vocals recorded by George Nikas at Black Caravan.
Mastered by Nick Townsend at Townsend Mastering.
Artwork by Bewild Brother.

Holy Monitor were founded in Athens, Greece during the summer of 2015 by guitarist Stefanos Mitsis, singer/guitarist George Nikas, keyboardist Vangelis Mitsis, bassist Alex Bolpasis and drummer Dimitris Doumouliakas. Over the course of a short period of time, they release the EP’s »Golden Light« and »Aeolus« by Ongakubaka Records.

In 2016 they start recording their first full-length self-titled album which is released in February 2017 by the Greek independent label Blackspin / Primitive Music. Their critically acclaimed debut is followed by intense live performing, sharing the stage with established psych-rock bands like The Black Angels, Wooden Shjips and Kikagaku Moyo.

Their sophomore album »II« comes next year introducing a heavier, droning spaced out sound from rhythmic krautrock to blissed-out space rock and on into modern-day psych permutations. Self-released EP’s »Ghost« and »This Desert Land« follow, signifying a new era for the band with a focus on jamming and experimenting, contributing a slight shift in their sound and leading to the band’s most focused record yet, 2021’s live recorded »Southern Lights«.

Pre-release single »Naked In The Rain« moves into a frenzied Bacchanalian rite, taking listeners into a hedonistic, mad dance to exorcise the rain and revolt against reality. This Bacchic ritual to the sun symbolizes the human need to rebirth, the ecstatic loss of self, a provocative critique of conformity.

The Greek quintet’s latest single, »Blue Whale« is a lofty pop effort filled with warm and comforting reverb-drenched guitars.

The near-eight-minute epic »The Sky Is Falling Down« is charged with swirling bass lines trapped in a cyclonic whirlwind of fuzzed-out guitar riffs.

Holy Monitor’s third full-length release is painted with luscious soundscapes with a healing utopian feeling of connecting with unspoiled Nature. The album was recorded live at Suono Studio and mixed up by Alex Bolbasis.

Holy Monitor is:
George Nikas – Vocals, Guitars
Stefanos Mitsis – Guitars
Alex Bolpasis – Bass
Vangelis Mitsis – Keys
Dimitris Doumouliakas – Drums

Bojan Bidovc // music enthusiast, promoter, misanthrop and sometimes a journalist as well