A Place Called Fantasy, the latest release from Dwayne Thomas Jr. better known as the virtuosic MonoNeon, is a fitting title for the project. There's a dreamlike atmosphere throughout the album, each track seamlessly connected by a pulsing groove that makes MonoNeon's avant-garde funk so enjoyable.
From the title track to ending song "Little Tittie Committee" A Place Called Fantasy is a reminder of the surrealist humor that has been a part of funk since its creation, with MonoNeon following the lineage of Parliament-Funkadelic, Sa-Ra, Thundercat, and others.
"There wasn't much direction in recording and creating the idea for A Place Called Fantasy," MonoNeon said. "I just started writing s**t. Writing s**t about love, little titties, America, sending nudes, dreams, etc."
Another integral part of the album is MonoNeon's relationship with Prince, who was one of the last artists to play with the iconic Purple One before his untimely death on April 21, 2016. The pair originally met in 2015, when Prince invited him to Paisley Park to play. Ultimately, MonoNeon served as the bassist for Judith Hill's band, before serving as Prince's bassist.
"Some of the inspiration for the vibe of the music came from reminiscing on the various moments I had with Prince recording and jamming with him," MonoNeon said.
The album includes features from fellow Memphis artists AWFM (A Weirdo From Memphis), Lance Lucas, and Anthony Knox, as well as Los Angeles artists Nina Gnewd and Taylor Morse.
