Synth Single Review: “Monalisa Overdrive" by Von Kaiser

Von Kaiser’s Monalisa Overdrive explores humanity and meaning in a world dominated by technology. The song begins with a dynamically bursting rhythmic pulse and swelling notes. The bass has a swaggering drive as the lead singer's sensually swirling voice carries the soulful melody as it shimmies.

The lyrics and vocals come together in a way that catches my fancy. The potent drums beat heavily as the vocals rise upward with coruscating expression and a background halo shines. The supporting pulse is undeniably groovy as the vocalist embodies a complex mixture of darkness and intense energy.

The vocals burst with fervent feeling as the rhythm snaps sharply while the synth spills light, creating an image of neon glinting off mechanical constructs. The guitar vaults with feral energy that tears through the music before the slicing low end falls silent.

As he is "disoriented by the physical world that's always surrounding me," our narrator points out that he can't remember much because his memory has been wiped. He adds, "it's a punishment that doesn't fit the crime." He speaks of "trying to build a better man," or a robot if possible. He knows he had a job to understand but can't remember what it was.

As "Mona Lisa says Overdrive," everything is loaded and the lights are bright. There’s a "Yakuza fight in the Tokyo streets" as they gun and run all night. The storyteller says he's going to have a chance to fall in love. He speaks of counting zeros as he has "the memory banks with stationary tanks, uploading without breaks, to spare us both."

Our narrator points out that the enemy is coming hard and fast. He says, "Sally’s trading faces with me now, spaces with me now, fighting to get us out and make a break."