''Mondo'' is the debut studio album of

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-based

indie pop Indie pop (also typeset as indie-pop or indiepop) is a music genre and subculture that combines guitar pop with DIY ethic in opposition to the style and tone of mainstream pop music. It originated from British post-punk in the late 1970s and sub ...

band

Electric Guest Electric Guest is a Los Angeles-based band formed in 2011. The group comprises Asa Taccone and Matthew "Cornbread" Compton. Luke Top plays bass and Reese Richardson plays keyboards/guitar in the touring version of the band. On April 24, 2012, ...

. It was released on April 24, 2012 on

Downtown Records Downtown Records is an American record label based in New York City with offices in Los Angeles. Owned and operated by Josh Deutsch and Terence Lam, the label is distributed by Geffen Records (formerly Interscope Records and The Orchard) in the ...

and Across The Universe labels. The single, "

This Head I Hold "This Head I Hold" is the first single from Electric Guest's debut album ''Mondo (album), Mondo''. It was one of the best-selling singles in France of 2012. Lyrics and composition Taccone said the song was conceived as a "constant reminder that y ...

" was featured on an episode of '' Dancing with the Stars'',(May 17, 2013), "ELECTRIC GUEST Mondo". ''Music Week''. (20):42 as well as in an ad for

Crate & Barrel Euromarket Designs Inc., doing business as Crate & Barrel (stylized as Crate&Barrel), is an international furniture and home décor retail store headquartered in Northbrook, Illinois. They employ 8200 employees across over 100 stores in the Uni ...

.HAMPP, ANDREW (September 22, 2012), "HOME FIELD ADVANTAGE". ''Billboard''. 124 (33):9 The song "Awake" is featured in the soundtrack of the 2012 video game ''

Forza Horizon ''Forza Horizon'' is a 2012 racing video game developed by Playground Games and published by Microsoft Studios for the Xbox 360 on 23 October 2012. The game is the fifth instalment of the '' Forza'' series, having originally spun-off from Turn ...

''.

Development and release

''Mondo'' features heavy production, and draws from genres such as synth-pop, R&B, Motown-style

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slacker A slacker is someone who habitually avoids work or lacks work ethic. Origin According to different sources, the term ''slacker'' dates back to about 1790 or 1898. "Slacker" gained some recognition during the British Gezira Scheme in the early ...

California

rock Rock most often refers to: * Rock (geology), a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals or mineraloids * Rock music, a genre of popular music Rock or Rocks may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * Rock, Caerphilly, a location in Wales ...

psychedelia Psychedelia refers to the psychedelic subculture of the 1960s and the psychedelic experience. This includes psychedelic art, psychedelic music and style of dress during that era. This was primarily generated by people who used psychedelic ...

, and bubblegum pop.Drever, Andrew (July 27, 2012), "Sticks and stones a low note". ''The Age''.Pareles, Jon (May 5, 2012)
"Revising Retro While Pondering Choices"
''

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''. 161 (55762):4Shedden, Iain (June 16, 2012), "Nice and cheesy". ''The Australian'' :10 With encouragement from Brian " Danger Mouse" Burton, Asa Taccone and his roommate, Michael Compton, refined their songs into an album from 2009 to 2011.''Rolling Stone'' staff (April 11, 2012)
"Danger Mouse Reveals Why He Produced Electric Guest's Debut Album"
''Rolling Stone''. Retrieved February 25, 2016.

Track listing

#"Holes" (2:45) #"

" (2:55) #"Under the Gun" (3:42) #"Awake" (5:00) #"Amber" (3:50) #"The Bait" (3:06) #"Waves" (3:06) #"Troubleman" (8:48) #"American Daydream" (2:48) #"Control" (2:18) #"Holiday" (3:08) apan Bonus Track#"Jenny" (4:15) apan Bonus Track

Charts

Reception

Reviews for ''Mondo'' were mixed. The ''

'' called the album "recession-era pop" with "wistful ballads, that are far more concerned about careers and ethical choices than about the ups and downs of love." Despite questioning the album's sincerity, ''

Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first kno ...

'' called the album "L.A. slacker soul, full of hooky neon jams" and "sonic wit." In one tepid review, ''

PopMatters ''PopMatters'' is an international online magazine of cultural criticism that covers aspects of popular culture. ''PopMatters'' publishes reviews, interviews, and essays on cultural products and expressions in areas such as music, television, fi ...

'' asserted that ''Mondo'' "serves as much as an introduction to a promising new as it does a reminder of a major producing talent." Less flatteringly, and remarking on Taccone's numerous connections in the music industry, ''

Pitchfork A pitchfork (also a hay fork) is an agricultural tool with a long handle and two to five tines used to lift and pitch or throw loose material, such as hay, straw, manure, or leaves. The term is also applied colloquially, but inaccurately, to ...

'' said ''Mondo'' is a "cautionary tale of what happens when a 'hit record' forgets to actually include hits."

References

2012 debut albums Albums produced by Danger Mouse (musician) Electric Guest albums {{2010s-electronic-album-stub