Today sees the official release of the debut EP by The Lectric Monks. The EP, entitled “The Six”, comes after the release of their first single from the EP, “New Man” earlier this year.
The EP has been in development by the band over the course of the last two years, meticulously thinking through all the pre-production work until they believed that the essence of the music was captured. The EP was recorded at Audio Culture in December 2017 with Jaco Naudè, with the band, Gary Peacock and Francois van der Merwe at the realm of production.
To quote them: “SPACE is experienced in 4D and that is what we strive to create in our music, space and time, creating new soundscapes through different perspectives and moments. The Lectric Monks’ sound is alien, and yet still strangely familiar. We used our collected tastes in music to compile an EP so that any- and everyone can go on a cosmic adventure and get their boogie on!”
More info about The Lectric Monks
The Lectric Monks are always challenging themselves to constantly find new inspiration. Their original material lent towards Folk-Blues, after which they were absorbed by Rootsy-tootsy Rock ’n Roll. The New EP still acknowledges their old roots for existing fans, but also explores the world of funk and psychedelic surf.
They chose the title “The Six” for the new EP for various reasons: 6 is a cosmic number, it’s the number of Gaia (Mother Earth) and also is considered the most harmonious of all single-digit numbers. 6 Monks, 6 Tracks. 6 = 1+2+3 Quick Math! One concept… many meanings. With their debut EP being an energetic dose of multiple genres and themes, they don’t conform to anything in particular, but believe anything is possible, as long as it is about the ‘Gruuv’, always and infinitely.
To quote The Lectric Monks: “The Six, is an exciting adventure, for the young and the old, It’s a journey through the possibilities of soundscapes. Fans can look forward to a look into the alternate realities we live in. We worked super hard at telling our stories about our experiences, with positive, groovy musical compositions.”
I recently had a chat to the band about their EP and a few other things. This is what they had to say:
People have probably asked you guys this a lot, but where the hell does the name “The Lectric Monks” come from?
The “Electric Monk” is a character from Douglas Adams novel, ‘Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency’. He is, in essence, a labour-saving device, just as how a toaster toasts bread for you and a washing machine cleans your clothes for you, The electric monk believes for you. We believe that the “e” is unnecessary semantics
How would you describe your EP to someone who hasn’t heard your tunes before?
It’s a cosmic cacophony of genre and groove, taking you on a journey through soundscapes and get you on your feet dancing the night away! Groovy as fuck…
What are your thoughts on the state of SA music at the moment?
There is an amazing amount of talent in this country and it is bursting at the seam.
What sucks when it comes to the SA Music scene and what’s great about the SA Music scene?
There isn’t anything in particular that sucks, but there is definitely room for improvements in certain aspects. That said, that is also what makes it great and in a sense South African, the possibilities are out there!
Where can people download / buy / or listen to The Lectric Monks EP?
It is available on most online platforms, but when you come to our shows, you can buy a special edition with a bonus track, only available on hard copy.
I’d like to congratulate The Lectric Monks on their EP release and I wish them all of the best with their future musical endeavours. You can buy / stream “The Six” here on Apple Music.
Watch this space for regular updates in the Music category on Running Wolf’s Rant.
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