Reviewed by Veronika van der Walt.
With Monsters Den, Vaughn Prangley returns from silence not with hesitation, but with intent. The South African-born, Dubai-based singer-songwriter transforms personal trauma into an atmospheric indie-alternative anthem that feels both intimate and expansive — a song born from loss, persistence, and the stubborn refusal to surrender creativity.
Written and self-produced over eight months, Monsters Den unfolds like an internal reckoning. Reverberant guitars drift through layers of shimmering synths, while tolling church bells punctuate the arrangement with a sense of ritual and gravity. The production is cinematic without becoming overbearing, allowing Prangley’s deep, soulful vocal delivery to remain the emotional anchor. His voice carries the weight of doubt and defiance in equal measure, guiding the listener through a soundscape that oscillates between shadow and light.
What makes Monsters Den particularly compelling is the honesty embedded in its restraint. Rather than dramatizing struggle, Prangley frames it as something familiar and internal — the “monsters” as intrusive thoughts, the “den” as the mind itself. The song resists victimhood, choosing instead to articulate resilience through persistence, repetition, and resolve. This is music that doesn’t rush toward triumph; it earns it.
The accompanying music video mirrors this inward journey through stark, symbolic imagery. Intimate studio scenes are interwoven with moments of isolation, ritual, and eventual release, reinforcing the song’s themes of confrontation and renewal. The visual narrative feels deliberate and grounded, enhancing the emotional impact without overshadowing the music.
Monsters Den marks a significant turning point for Vaughn Prangley — not just as a return to music, but as a redefinition of purpose. It signals the beginning of a new creative chapter, one rooted in survival, self-reclamation, and artistic clarity. If this single is any indication, Prangley’s forthcoming work promises a broadened sonic palette without losing the emotional depth that makes Monsters Denresonate so deeply.
Many people — myself included — can deeply relate to this track. Last December was hell for me (“it’s where the people burn”), as I navigated the loss of a beloved pet and our much-loved CEO, Duwyne “Duzzy” Clayton. It felt as though “my knees had been broken and my crown was taken away.” I had nothing left.
With a broken heart and stress-related health issues, I “longed for repair.” I wanted to walk away from my work at Fanbase, but my passion for music persevered. And so, through this review, I take “the first steps to leave the Monster’s Den.”
Follow Vaughn Prangley
• All Links: https://linktr.ee/vaughnprangley
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/vaughnprangleylive
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/vaughnprangley
• TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@vaughnprangley
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/VaughnPrangley
• Website: www.vaughnprangley.com
Stream Vaughn Prangley
• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/6ji1Ym2kjznFqaJk0E6q5g
• Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/vaughn-prangley/1533227242
• YouTube Music: https://music.youtube.com/channel/UCrjnTRrC8YwSMa_4Ofswugw
• Deezer: https://www.deezer.com/en/artist/108318462
• Tidal: https://listen.tidal.com/artist/21486090
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Clean English Lyrics ‘Monsters Den’ by Vaughn Prangley
Hold your breath
It ain’t worth the stress
Longing for repair
From the Monster’s Den
Your first steps
Yours to take and not the rest
Slipping through the devil’s hands
Into the cracks of broken men
In the dark
You feel those shadows crawl
They call you out for repents
But now you leave the Monster’s Den
Take this chance
See it through ‘til the end
Slipping through the Devil’s hands
Escape the cracks of broken men
It ain’t fair
How they pulled me down
And they broke my knees
Took away my crown
To work
My worth
It’s where the people burn
———
🕊️ In loving memory of Duwyne “Duzzy” Clayton (21 March 1984 – 19 December 2025) 🕊️