Genre: Avant-Folk, Post-punk
“Love is retribution for voices which have been silenced.”
Based in Aliso Viejo California but rooted in her Latin culture, Cime (pronounced sea-may) has taken a wildly theatric approach to her newest album titled, “Laurels of the End of History”. Bold and slightly deafening, Monty Cime belts her way through each track accompanied by a cacophonous orchestra of horns, cymbals, and other various instruments playing all at once. This experimental approach shows me a vision that is focused on constructing an immersive landscape of sound that would transport listeners to another place. The production is overwhelming with the heavily distorted vocals and the disorderly playing of the instruments, but the music reflects Cime’s creativity and embodies the meaning of punk rock. I can feel the amount of effort and emotion that was put into conveying the message of societal chaos that spans between generations.
Going into the first song titled, “Obertura Neoliberal”, various voices speak over each other, like a way of establishing the story that’s being told. Eventually, we get our first appearance of music with the soft, whirring of a trumpet. Then, incredibly contrasting to the music, the vocals come in blaring, mixed with harmonies of the same nature. I enjoy the amount of emotion I can feel coming from how Cime is projecting the lyrics, but I find the production of her voice to be a bit jarring. I would have loved to hear something more unfiltered, where her passion is at the forefront and there is nothing else distracting from its meaning. I believe this would have made her delivery that much more impactful.
In the second song, “La Granadera”, we hear Cime give her rendition of the Federal Public of Central American National Anthem from 1823-1839. This song is a vow and proclamation of love for Central America, a place Cime cherishes as a part of her culture. The overall feeling emoted from the production is sad but celebratory at the same time; kind of like the feeling you get at a New Years Party when the night is winding down. While the energy of the song is high, the vocals overpower the rest of the band and there's a lot of dissonance that I think could have been more appropriately placed to add a unique charm without it becoming oversaturated. This critique can also be said for their song, “Yoro”. While the lyrics give hope to the jaded listener, the music doesn't have a sturdy foundation to build on. Only in the next song titled, “Spectres of Che”, will a steady chord progression make an appearance. The last song, “The Lost Last Man” also has some melodic parts, but mostly in the beginning. However, it bestows a message that leaves listeners left to ponder the relationship between hope and love: “Love is hope, and hope is love. To hope is to live and to live is to love.”
Overall, "Laurels of the End of History" is unlike anything I have ever heard. Cime completely defies all musical expectations and proves to her audience that she is as punk as it gets. The production isn't as balance had I hoped which decreased the listenability for me, but Cime has definitely created her own style of music that is without genre, lines, or equations. I don’t think I’ll be revisiting this album too often because of how far it strays away from my personal taste, but I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t interested in what Cime will create in the future.
Be sure to check out Cime and stream her newest album, "Laurels of the End of History" everywhere you listen to music tomorrow, August 18th!
Follow Cime on Instagram: https://instagram.com/montycime?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==