Rock 'n Roll With Paranormal Powers

Name: Monster Cat

Where They’re From: Singapore

Genre: Gothy fantasy psych folk

When They Started: 2o11ish

Most Like: Beirut, Tori Amos, Nick Cave, Ava Luna

Sounds like:  The stirrings of anxiety. And a stroll in a fog-ridden enchanted forest. Maybe both. Yes, both.

There’s something majorly magic happening in Singapore, thanks to the heady yet always vaguely tongue-in-cheek foursome Monster Cat. Dropping dark, atmospheric folk rock with distinct climaxes, psych rock guitar and sturdy minor keys, they’ve got a Billy Corgan seriousness about their music, and a clear predilection for the supernatural.

But they’re funny, too. Describing themselves in the following words on their site:

“hi. we love angry furry creatures, scary people in the forest and things that have the potential to get wet.”

and: “Because nothing beats enjoying music with liner notes in hand. And a kitten purring at your crotch. And as you lose yourself in the music and start to ignore the kitten, it will deface your genitals.”

For these reasons and more, we love Monster Cat.

Their band name is inspired by the folkloric Japanese creature “bakeneko,” a cat with magic powers, which are benevolent in some stories, man-eating in others. Layered harmonies — often in the form of all-out wailing — is always a part of their songs, visceral cries that alternate between pained and gorgeous. A near absence of electronics makes you feel like they narrowly escaped the Radiohead era of this sort of music, and they’re a welcomed 90s alt-gothy time capsule with subtleties you can ruminate on forever.

Watch their video for “Underwater” below, and stream their entire debut album Mannequins (out last year) here.