Sea Monsters

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Live Review from Asian Rock:
I must confess that I do not possess any qualification in music history and have only the most rudimentary grounding in music theory, so styles such as twelve-tone or minimalist are as incomprehensible to me as Sanskrit. Sea Monsters, a five piece act, must represent the equivalent to contemporary classical music on the rock scene. The music was unlike anything I have heard before and definitely fell on the experimental side of things. The compositions were essentially based on improvising around set rhythmic loops (which, by the way, would change several times throughout the piece, with quiet moments and climaxes), the use of different tempi and complete change of styles within the same song was almost symphonic in nature with different movements . What really made this band stand out was the vocal, the lead singer’s strong and versatile voice was cleverly used throughout to add another, instrument-like layer which was rarely seen, and, unlike the Sea Monsters, not always effective. The end result, was a bunch of very accomplished musicians having fun experimenting – the music itself was mostly abstract, unpredictable yet fascinating, and definitely required some work on the part of the audience to appreciate. I think anyone who likes artists such as Björk would surely appreciate the Sea Monsters.
Thlayli

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Live Review from Underground 43:
super hard funk, they span many forms and versions of sanity. partly experimental and partly just nuts, they create an entirely new type of pop music, the “weird”. totally legitimate, original, and heartfelt, their exhibit of oddity will take you on many unknown turns that will take you to places you never imagined existed, but here they are. they take you down spunky big band through 70s disco to an entirely new creation like the pear-apple. seriously funky and in-your-face and unlike anything you’ve ever heard before. the eerie and insane vocals with the excited bass line drive their energy while the drums accentuated it. Adding a unique & quirky female vocalist definitely added to Sea Monsters.
Amos

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Live Review from Underground 26:
Sea Monsters prepare to deliver their avant-funk-prog blend of musical mayhem. They’re the only keyboard band of the night and it’s the first time I’ve heard them play. Advance reviews have been good. Yoji is the keyboard kommander blending jazz Moog with mini-Theremin madness. More Electric Prunes mayhem cross-bred with Sun Ra’s Inter-Galactic synth squeals and squiggles. There are nods of the porkpie hat to Phil Lesh (the bassist!) with the former Grateful Dead (now just The Dead) and his side project Sea Stones. Hiroshi, the guitarist, recalls Bob Fripp – founder of King Crimson, and a jazzed-up Jimi Hendrix. Koya, bassman with Very Ape, among others, does his funkadelic Bootsy Collins-style thing while the drummer Ogura performs the only solo of the night. I thought they weren’t bad, but Koya later apologises for their weak set, promising that “next time, we’ll do better”.
Nick Lovatt

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Live Review from Underground 11:
Sea Monsters were rather wild. Having heard lots about them, I was lucky to get to the Underground in time to see this King Crimson-like Japanese band sear their way into people’s heads with their sounds. For me, the best band of the night but then I got to Underground late, my girlfriend having failed to turn up again. She may be on the way out, but the future is bright for the Sea Monsters – they are unique certainly in HK and possibly Asia. Anyone who is seeking a unique boyfriend contact me via the Underground.
Mark Emerson

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