THE PAST//HISTORY+
"The New Monarchs are a duo from Minnesota that will fill the void until Postal Service make a new album and the best part is that they're a little harder in terms of their beats. Think of them as being on steroids and voila!" - Julio Enriquez (Cause = Time)
The New Monarchs are Taylor Nelson and Sean Hogan.
Starting things off in high school, the two met through a jazz ensemble. After getting to know eachother, Sean welcomed Taylor into 'Kids Eat Free' - a band dedicated to humor. Soon after, the two found a strong creative connection and began writing their own material when spare time arose. After a few months collaborating, Sean graduated and Kids Eat Free was put to rest. However, the two continued to connect via the internet. Sharing ideas over instant messages and emails.
The ideas flowed for months, and The New Monarchs were created in the form of a full fledge rock band featuring bass and drums. This incarnation of the band gigged around Minneapolis for a year, and really solidified the musical connection between Sean and Taylor.
After a few issues with the lineup - and a change of heart stylistically - the band slowly morphed into what it is today: an electonic duo. Making it a priority, the two began writing the new material in a way where the songs can be performed live just as they are in the studio. While traveling back and forth between St. Paul and Eau Claire over a 3 month period in the fall of 2007, Sean and Taylor managed to write and produce a 6-track EP that featured a variety of songs in a wide range of styles. These songs would outline the future of the band's work.
