Snowdrop

When Mono recorded their previous album, Oath, with longtime production partner and friend Steve Albini in 2023, they never imagined it would be the final studio album they made together. Albini tragically died the following year, leaving an incalculable void in the lives of not only everyone who knew him, but also everyone with an attachment to any of the thousands of records he helped bring into the world over the past four decades. He brought clarity to chaos and a selfless dedication to art and artists that was unrivaled. On both a personal and practical level, the loss left Mono facing profound grief and uncertainty. Albini had become a fundamental part of Mono’s unmistakable sound, and the idea of replacing him was daunting to say the least. Enter Brad Wood (Touché Amoré, The Smashing Pumpkins). Chosen for his familiarity with Mono’s creative and technical process—as well as his decades-long friendship with Steve Albini—Brad Wood entered Albini’s