Mono, Japan’s leading post-rock instrumental group, are back with a new album, Hymn to the Immortal Wind. We recently sat down with them for a short interview.

130BPM: Are there any plans to reissue Under The Pipal Tree?

Mono: No. Tzadik has been selling it now and we have not made any plans to reissue it.

130BPM: Do you think using Steve Albini shaped your sound in any way?

Mono: We have been working with him for 5 years and we are always really happy and satisfied by his analog sound. It is really emotional, real, natural, and intense – the closest thing to what we want to do when we play live. This is the kind of sound that we want our recordings to have – and Steve has been the one to materialize this sound for our records. He understands our vision and that is why we work so well together.

130BPM: Are you guys Big Black fans?

Mono: Yes, we love all of his work.

130BPM: Were any songs left off Hymn to the Immortal Wind?

Mono: No. We left a few pieces and ideas out but we only wrote 7 songs for this album. Each song was written like a chapter of a story so we were pretty aware of how many and what kind of songs we would need.

130BPM: Was everything recorded together? Many overdubs?

Mono: The four of us recorded everything together as if we were live. Then we recorded the orchestra shortly after.

Hymn to the Immortal Wind is out March 24th through Temporary Residence Limited.

-Hamish Duncan