No longer “at odds,” Kansas City’s cosmic art-rock outfit Monta have reformed and – refined – their sound into a sophisticated dark synthpop. After having played live frequently last year, the band wanted to bring that energy to their recording process. You can feel the energy and exhilaration in their new single, Everybody’s Baby (out now via Record Machine), which gleefully brings dreamy post-punk to the dance floor.

Channeling LCD Soundsystem, TV On The Radio, and Cut Copy, vocalist Mikal Shapiro sings of naked ambition and impending stardom, which the band describes as “the otherworldly adoration of unnamed strangers triggers the artist’s epiphany.” Shapiro is joined by Teri Quinn on vocals, as they’re backed by Krysztof Nemeth and Lucas Behrens on guitars, Dedric Moore on electronics, and Matthew Heinrich on drums. The band’s unique cosmic element remains, but has metamorphosed into a more dance-focused euphoric sound. This is a parable about stepping into your own element, and, subsequently…your own power. What one does with that remains to be seen, but right now, the world is your oyster, and they’re feasting from your hand.

The song’s flow rings with subtle tensions and an uplifting chorus before slipping into the unfamiliar lands of fame and fortune. “The stars will only hang overhead for so long,” they say.

Blare this and boogie:

Already a longtime favorite around here, this new incarnation is delivering the goods as the phoenix rises.

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