Austin may be best known for its music scene, but the folks at Monofonus Press are working to ensure that Texas-based writers and visual artists get their fair share of recognition. Each issue of the IF Series packages a work of writing (novellas, short stories, poetry, comic books, etc.) with a record album and accompanying artwork. IF06, the copy I was lucky enough to receive, features the novella “Mile Marker” by Brian Hart, the record “Looking for a Spark” from band Over the Hill, and package design and illustrations by artist Noel Waggener.
More about the press, from a label profile in Austin Sound: “[Monofonus is] where fine art meets the DIY aesthetic…The physical beauty of the packaging is really important to us – we hand print and hand-silkscreen a lot of stuff right here at Monofonus studios, but we also have to keep our budget in mind…The whole point of the IF Series is to not only encourage collaboration across mediums, but to give people access to mediums outside of the ones they usually buy. Basically, we want to get books in the hands of people who buy records, and vice-versa.”
Where Monofonus Press excels is in creating a tone for each issue. Pieces are thoughtfully culled and artfully arranged; the music speaks to the writing which speaks to the artwork. There is something playful about the IF Series, something experience-inducing. The record begs to be listened to while you read the novella and flip through the illustrations. In a time where more and more publications are looking towards digitalization (for better or worse, depending on your opinion) it is nice to see a press so concerned with artifact, something beautiful you can hold in your hands. But Monofonus is still practical–no worries if you don’t have a record player–the vinyl is also available for downloading.
