Taken from their debut EP, Me & The Monster’s catchy new single captures the tension between our inner and outer selves: The monster lurking below the surface, and “The Shadow” inside us all.
Stream: “The Shadow” – Me & The Monster
Think of this not as a reintroduction, but rather as a reaffirmation of a bright new band’s exceptionalism. In premiering Me & The Monster’s self-titled debut EP this January, Atwood Magazine praised the band as “more than an artist to watch… [they] are an artist you need to hear right now: Not only do Me & The Monster succeed in introducing themselves to the world, but they also tell us what they stand for — and in truth, we can barely say that about most established acts.”
Taken from said debut EP, Me & The Monster’s latest single captures the tension between our inner and outer selves: The monster lurking below the surface, and “The Shadow” inside us all.
Knocking on my door
is a shadow that I cannot see,
but it’s really there and I got no time to spare
‘cause it’s coming after me
Mama told me that at some moment
I would have to fight,
now I am a man but I still don’t
have a plan; not happening tonight.
Atwood Magazine is proud to be premiering the music video for “The Shadow,” Me & The Monster’s latest single. A Berlin-based four-piece, Me & The Monster’s members hail from around the world – Spain, Venezuela, and Italy – but Nico Uris, Andrea Trujillo, Giulia Mariani, and Niki Comploi came together over a shared love of music, humanity, and Mother Earth. They display a stunning wealth of creativity and depth of thought in their self-titled debut EP Me & The Monster, a powerful indie folk journey inviting listeners to think critically about our world and the choices we make. Independently released on January 31, the five-track introduction captures this new band’s dynamic energy and evocative sound: Falling somewhere into the Of Monsters and Men camp of rock-influenced indie folk, Me & The Monster utilize heavy, tribal drumming, energetic vocals, ambient guitars, and colorful synths to create unique, head-turning and toe-tapping tapestries.
“The Shadow” owns a special place on Me & The Monster’s debut, finding them diving into the depths of their own human nature and the complexity of being. “Knocking on my door is a shadow that will never leave,” the band sing in the verse, exploring both the unconscious as well as the unknown. “Even though I’m hiding he can always find me, he can smell my fear. Papa told me baby stop; you should face the beast. Even though it’s outside, I can hear it inside, whisper in my ear…” They intersperse these haunted verses with a percussive earworm chorus that get all-too easily stuck on repeat:
Ringidingding ding dong
I won’t quit fighting
‘till I reach your soul
Ringidingding ding dong
Iwon’t get tired of
knocking at your door
Ringidingding ding dong
I won’t quit fighting
‘till I reach your soul
Ringidingding ding dong
I won’t get tired of
knocking at your door
It’s simple, yet the words so powerfully evoke the image of that specter – “the shadow” lurking just out of reach, waiting for its chance to consume us whole. Me & The Monster describe it perfectly:
“This song holds a very special place in the monsters’ hearts,” the band tell Atwood Magazine. “It was the first song they ever performed in front of a crowd, back in December of 2017 in Berlin at the prestigious Cassiopeia Club. A first version of the song was recorded during the winter of 2018, and it was going to be their first single release. But despite their excitement to put content into the world, they took a step back and postponed the release, because they didn’t fully identify with the sound yet. Several versions of the song ended up being recorded until the released version came to be.”
They continue, “‘The Shadow’ is a reflection of the monster’s soul: a division of characters. It’s the contrast between the monster within them; that entity that never came to fully be because of the influences of the shadow. That inner dichotomy that makes you tilt to extremes. An inner ambivalence that wants to strike out in all directions, but somehow fails because of itself. We all carry those thoughts, feelings, motivations within us. It’s not good, it’s not bad; it simply is the course of life: The shadow that always accompanies you.”
It’s not good, it’s not bad; it simply is the course of life: The shadow that always accompanies you.
Consider “The Shadow” that otherness that both is, yet isn’t a part of our identity. Perhaps Billy Joel once put it well with his song, “The Stranger”; perhaps it’s a notion of egos and ids. However we choose to understand “The Shadow,” there is no doubting its strength, its innately catchy quality, and its conceptual depth. A faithful introduction to Me & The Monster and a great way to start your journey into their debut, “The Shadow” haunts, entices, and enthralls.
Get up-close and personal with the band and watch them in action in their new music video, and get to know Me & The Monster even better in our introductory feature piece. Whether they’re singing about inner balance and stability, political turmoil, or climate change, Me & The Monster cover a beautiful breadth of subject matter with stunning sonic finesse. They know who they are, and we are more than happy for them to share their world with us.
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Stream: “The Shadow” – Me & The Monster
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