It’s finally here! Space Monkey Mafia has announced their new album! Last September, Space Monkey Mafia dropped a single titled Linear Time, and I was blown away. I was familiar with the band and owned one of their albums, which was pretty good. Still, this single was even better than everything else. I loved it. It was deeply emotional (about losing a friend and missing them). It was powerful.
A month later, they did it again. They released another single- this one was called “Death of the Party”, and I immediately sent the song to people I knew would love it. They were onto something special. This sounded nothing like any of their previous music, and it was incredible. This rocketed up to what was probably my favorite track from any band last year. I decided that I needed to see this band live if I ever had the opportunity.
Six months passed, and in March of 2025, they released another single, Malas Raíces. Again, the song sounded extremely unique, with completely different influences, yet it was still an amazingly good song. This time, it came with an announcement that they were working on another album, with more details to follow later in the year.
That time is now, well, kind of. The time for the announcement is now, and so is the release of a 4th single. On July 5, Space Monkey Mafia released their fourth single, announcing the album’s release date, title, and that it would be released on a record label. For the first time, a vinyl version of their album would also be available.
On August 14, Space Monkey Mafia will be releasing their third full-length EP, titled “Death of the Party”, on Jump Up Records. As I mentioned earlier, this album will be the first to be available on vinyl. However, before we delve into that, let’s first take a look at the single they just released to promote the album.
Salvage, like the other three singles on this album, is an incredibly well-written and executed track. I was able to speak with some of the band members after their previous single. I discovered that each of those songs was written by a different member of the band, which is what allows them to sound so distinct. While I’m not sure which member wrote this song, or if it was a 4th member, it reminds me more of “Linear Time” than the other singles.
The track intros with a single guitar, playing a quiet rock riff before the drums and horns come in heavy. As the music dies, the first verse has a vibe that reminds me of the late 2000s, perhaps even the early 2010s, that I can’t quite put my finger on. The lyrics begin by questioning feelings of loneliness and isolation, before reminding the listener that love is not a finite resource, and urging them to reach out and let their love spill over. It goes on to describe building networks and community, and reminding us that none of us is as powerful as all of us. As the song progresses, the chorus becomes fuller and is one of the best uses of gang vocals in any song. The message that none of us are as powerful as all of us together, being sung in gang vocals, begging the audience to join in and acknowledge that we are more powerful together, is incredible. I fucking love this band.
Space Monkey Mafia is my favorite band of 2025. There are other bands I love- so many other bands. There have been incredible albums this year- including Catbite, The Pomps, and Bite Me Bambi. Some of my favorite people, such as Super Cassette, have released amazing singles. Other albums are coming out that I am looking forward to with incredible levels of excitement, such as Jer and Joker’s Republic. I am incredibly excited for all of that, but right now, my favorite band in 2025 is Space Monkey Mafia. They are doing everything right, every song hits me just perfectly.
I mentioned earlier that last year I decided I needed to see this band live if I ever had the opportunity; well, that opportunity is coming up. Space Monkey Mafia is doing a small, 7-city tour to coincide with the release of the album.
August 14, Chicago, Illinois
August 15, Madison, Wisconsin
August 16, Minneapolis, Minnesota
August 20, Rapid City, South Dakota
August 21, Golden, Colorado
August 22, Denver, Colorado
August 23, Omaha, Nebraska
August 16, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, is the Ska Punk International Fest, and I’ll be driving 600 miles to attend. Check out this single, explore the rest of their singles, pre-order their album, and come out to see this incredible band if you have the opportunity.
Written by Gimp Leg
