Alternative Pop from Monica Palmer

Hailing from Boise, Idaho, Monica Palmer is an artist who’s embarked on an extraordinary musical voyage. This highly original alternative pop artist burst onto the scene earlier this year with her debut single “Afterwards.” Now, she unveils her full creative spectrum with her debut album, the aptly titled We Are All Escaping.

Monica Palmer is not your typical artist; she’s a multi-talented musician, proficient in vocals, flute, keys and synths. Her inspiration draws from a diverse range of innovative artists such as Radiohead, Massive Attack, Björk, Andy Stott and Beach House. For her first record, she recorded all 11 tracks in her own bedroom, with the mixing and mastering executed by Kyler Daron at Den Studios Recording in Boise.

We Are All Escaping is a highly autobiographical body of work that opens with the haunting “Intro,” a two-minute track that sets the tone for the entire album. Intricate synth pulses create an ominous ambiance, while swelling sonic textures form a pillow for Monica’s ethereal vocal utterances. The mesmeric flute lines flutter gracefully, trading lines with her voice to craft an eerie and enveloping soundscape that gradually builds before fading into the depths of atmosphere.

Next up is “Behind Closed Doors,” a track that pairs deep bass synths with a delicate drive beneath layers of swirling sonic fabric. An electronic beat adds momentum to this dark pop composition, allowing Monica’s elegant vocal flourishes to dance beautifully amongst the arrangement. “For the Ride” opens with playful instrumental plucks, joined by her voice which washes liking the lapping waves on a beach at dusk, before the song develops to a stunning soundscape of reverb drenched, glitching beats.

Other highlights on the record include songs like “Afterwards,” with it’s piquant intro of pattering synth rhythms, lifted with crunching vocal samples and graceful flute lines. With the beat, the songs gets a punchy injection of danceable energy.

The album closes with “Mommy is Sad,” a spacey song that opens with wubbing synths and a child’s voice sample, before picking up a grooving rhythm from the beat, shifting to a pounding organic drum kit and layers of dazzling flute leads, resulting in an immersive, experimental electronic finale to this sensational debut full-length album.

Commenting on the release, Monica shares, “This album represents my own self-awakening and evolution as an artist; finally more willing and confident to take up more space in the world, even in a small way.”

Listen to We Are All Escaping below

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