Play almost monday

Sunlight on your skin, salt in your hair, windows down somewhere along the coast. That’s exactly what almost monday sounds like.

There’s something instantly recognisable about the trio’s music. Even before you know the lyrics, before the chorus fully kicks in, there’s already this feeling that you’re somewhere warmer, lighter, freer. Their songs don’t just sound like California, they feel like it.

Formed in San Diego in 2015 by Dawson Daugherty, Cole Clisby, and Luke Fabry, almost monday started the way many great bands do: as friends making music together without overthinking where it could eventually lead.

At the time, it was mostly garage jams, late-night sessions, and experimenting with sounds inspired by the environment around them. Growing up surrounded by surf culture, ocean drives, skate aesthetics, and the laid-back energy that defines Southern California, the band naturally absorbed that atmosphere into their music.

And honestly, you can hear it in everything they do.

From the very beginning, almost monday leaned into rhythm-heavy melodies, glossy indie-pop production, and songs designed less around emotional destruction and more around movement, freedom, and momentum. Their sound blends indie pop, alt-dance, funk influences, and shimmering synth textures into something that feels both nostalgic and modern at the same time.

But what really separates them from a lot of indie-pop bands is that their music never feels forced.

Nothing about almost monday sounds like they’re desperately chasing trends or trying to become the next viral moment. Instead, their songs feel effortless in the best possible way, like music made by people who genuinely understand the atmosphere they want to create.

That identity became impossible to ignore once “Broken People” arrived.

The track quickly gained traction across streaming platforms and alternative radio, introducing almost monday to audiences far beyond California. With its infectious rhythm, euphoric chorus, and undeniable replay value, the song captured exactly what would become the band’s signature: emotionally light without feeling empty, polished without losing warmth.

It was the kind of song you accidentally put on repeat for three hours.

And from there, things only kept growing.

Follow-up releases like “Come On Come On” and “Sun Keeps on Shining” reinforced the world they were building around the band. Elastic basslines, shimmering guitars, upbeat percussion, and choruses practically engineered for festival crowds and late-night drives became part of the almost monday formula.

But underneath all the bright production, there’s also a surprising level of intention in how the band approaches songwriting.

Their music isn’t just “happy.”

It’s escapist in a very specific way.

Almost monday creates songs that make everyday life feel cinematic. Suddenly your walk home feels like the ending scene of an indie film. Grocery shopping becomes a coming-of-age montage. Missing your train somehow feels romantic instead of annoying.

That’s a rare skill.

Their early EPs, including Don’t Say You’re Ordinary (2020) and til the end of time (2021), helped solidify that identity even further. Rather than experimenting wildly between releases, the band focused on refining their sound and building a cohesive sonic universe, something increasingly rare in the streaming era where many artists constantly reinvent themselves for attention.

With almost monday, consistency became part of the appeal.

Every release felt connected. Same atmosphere, same emotional palette, same sense of movement and warmth, but evolving little by little each time.

And audiences connected to that immediately.

Soon, the band was moving from streaming playlists to major festival stages, including appearances at Lollapalooza, while also joining tours with artists like AJR and The Driver Era.

Live shows became another huge part of their identity.

Because while almost monday’s music sounds incredible through headphones, it feels even more natural in a festival environment: open air, sunset lighting, crowds dancing without taking themselves too seriously. Their concerts carry the exact same energy as their recordings, carefree but intentional, relaxed but incredibly tight musically.

And that balance is harder to achieve than people think.

By the time their debut album DIVE arrived in 2024, almost monday already had hundreds of millions of streams and an international audience behind them. But the album still felt like an important turning point.

Instead of simply expanding their existing formula, DIVE showed a band becoming more involved in every aspect of their artistry. The production feels sharper, the storytelling more precise, and the songwriting more confident in subtle ways.

There’s still that signature almost monday warmth running through the record, but now it feels more refined, more immersive, and more emotionally layered.

The album doesn’t abandon the carefree energy that made people fall in love with them in the first place, it just deepens it.

That’s probably what makes almost monday so compelling right now.

They exist in this rare space between indie and pop where everything feels accessible without becoming generic. Their music is polished enough for massive playlists and festival crowds, but personal enough to still feel intimate.

And in a music industry constantly obsessed with reinvention, shock value, and algorithms, there’s something refreshing about a band that simply understands its identity so clearly.

Almost monday doesn’t try to be everything.

They know exactly what they are, and maybe even more importantly, what they’re not.

Carefree, but never careless.

Follow almost monday on Instagram.