Monobloc Makes Style Look Effortless in Hometown EP Release Show
Brooklyn, New York — March 19th, 2026
Monobloc plastic chairs were designed to be resilient and portable in addition to their stylish (and stackable) design; thankfully, the band had the same traits as their namesake when their EP release show in Greenpoint, Brooklyn started with an unexpected last-minute venue change that forced them to pick up and move to a new location around the corner. It’s not surprising that the band navigated through the initial chaos of the night to keep the show alive given their extensive tour experience including shows in the UK, Iceland, Mexico, France, Portugal, and Japan. The five-piece band—vocalist Timothy Waldron, bassist Michael Silverglade, drummer Zack Pockrose, and guitarists Nina Lüders and Ben Scofield—were joined by guests Croaker and Same Vein in their freshly commandeered venue that hummed with the energy of a house party.
Monobloc currently has a curated discography of less than a dozen songs, including their upcoming EP that they played in addition to most of their repertoire. You know the saying: quality over quantity, and Monobloc is embracing the adage. Their tracks fit together with a characteristic hunger and signature rhythmic density that feels cohesive instead of repetitive. When played live, Monobloc’s stylish sound is a lesson in frisson, the sweet spot of skill and sentimentality that makes music feel visceral. The amps throw reverb through the crowd; the band’s tight playing draws the rhythms taut and tactile; the lyrics are cutting with precision.
Monobloc’s distinctive songwriting approach is honed further in the EP, the upcoming tracks leaning into suave 80s nostalgia. The aptly-named “City,” recently released as a single, is the perfect soundtrack for late-night downtown escapades against a backdrop of neon lights. The slick, reverb-drenched track features some impeccable drops against relentlessly energetic drumming holding it all together. During their set Monobloc debuted “Plums” and its absolutely delicious syrupy, synthy refrain. Imagine The Blue Nile but with more grit, like dropping a plum onto the ground but eating it anyway because it’s too good to waste. This standout track was released onto streaming following the show for another taste of the EP if you want to whet your appetite.
Linked-arm line dancing broke out in the crowd during the plucky “Everything,” and Monobloc ended their set with “I’m Just Trying to Love You,” the infectiously catchy “song that started it all.” Even though the audience was moving throughout the set, Monobloc’s stage presence was more stoic, almost self-contained. The band’s understated stage presence was cemented by their monochromatic aesthetic and distilled post-punk sound textured by Waldron’s raspy vocals that at times took on the cadence of an intimate late-night conversation, almost cloak-and-dagger in its timbre.
That’s not to say that the band is shy or passive on stage. On the contrary, Monobloc’s stage presence carries an effortless confidence, a performance that doesn’t feel performative because of how naturally the band concentrates and sharpens their energy until it’s propulsive. After all, stoicism isn’t the lack of emotion but the control of it. Instead of directly reflecting the audience’s energy like a mirror, Monobloc absorbed it like vantablack, channeling it into the music to give it back and then swallow it again, a closed feedback loop sustaining itself. To quote “Everything,” “like an echo, echo, echo echo.”
It’s fitting that Monobloc performed their EP for the first time on the verge of the spring equinox, a chilly night lacking the full bite of winter but not yet spring, like when a dog playfully wraps its mouth around your wrist just enough to feel the pressure of its teeth. You know the bite can be harder, but the restraint and ambiguity between attack and play is what makes it fun. That’s why Monobloc’s songwriting is so effective. Monobloc revels in the uncertain and messy and chaotic because their tight song structures can contain these complex, moody feelings, condensing them into focus through thick bass lines and punchy riffs so articulated and energetic they chatter like Morse code alongside the lyrics, a hidden message revealing everything and nothing.
Monobloc’s winkingly ironic encore was “Irish Goodbye,” a track with a cheeky spoken-word delivery that feels deceptively casual until it erupts. As the band released their pent-up energy—drumsticks flying, fretboards slicing the air—Waldron leaned against the mic stand, taking it all in.
Monobloc’s upcoming EP is slated to be released on April 3rd. Until then, follow the band for updates and explore their discography below.
