Sharp Bits: Monochrome Chocolate

Pretty easily classified as indie-pop, right? Exhibit A being, uh, that twee-tastic name. Or maybe how the group identifies as “indie/pop.” The majority of Monochrome Chocolate’s bite-sized samples also backup this theory, tracks like “Vineyard” and “Beyonce” balancing sweet ennui with galloping vocal delivery. So yeah – indie pop. Yet this four-piece works in some more jagged elements into their otherwise tooth-aching sound. On “Harimoto” those sun-splashed words are pushed forward by clanging percussion that overshadows the rest of the music, making the song sound like a slightly more upbeat (check the chorus) take on Deerhunter’s “Memory Boy.” “I Am Ringo Starr” incorporates a healthy dose of feedback into the track, a trick they work into several other of the clips available here. Monochrome Chocolate aren’t the reincarnation of Black Tambourine but the rougher parts give their music a nice kick.