Secede – The Whistler {mtk105}

Artist: Secede
Title:
The Whistler
Label:
Monotonik
Catalog #:
mtk105
Release Date:
2003/03/21


We like it when old friends return to Monotonik, and after his very well-received EP on our net.label last year, Holland’s excellent Secede provides a truly epic new track, “The Whistler”, ahead of his “Bye Bye Gridlock Traffic” album forthcoming on Merck, and his smart-ola remix work for N5MD and Merck.

It’s good to thrive on angles, and “The Whistler” plots a course away from your average pure-toned geektronica, edging ever-closer to the template of instrumental bands like Mogwai and the denser, more pressing grooves of Richard H Kirk’s early Warp material. Taking echoes of news footage, sampled violin, and the shimmering sounds of layer after layer of sound, the percussive groove builds and builds in altogether yummy fashions.

So, if you’re looking for a way to submerge yourself in music in these troubled times, or just to discover that there’s more to electronica than the eternal glitches vs. sinewaves ruckus, you may want to go have a word with “The Whistler”. Like, already.


Credits:
watchcam photo by h0l


Tracklist:
01 – The Whistler

Artwork:
Front Cover


License:
Attribution-NoDerivs-NonCommercial 1.0 Generic (CC BY-ND-NC 1.0)


Sleepy Town Manufacture – Latatoo EP {mtk094}

Artist: Sleepy Town Manufacture
Title:
Latatoo EP
Label:
Monotonik
Catalog #:
mtk094
Release Date:
2002/11/17


It’s a pleasure to be able to put out the second Monotonik release from the Russian duo, Sleepy Town Manufacture (who are newly expanded to three with the addition of a new German-based Russian member.)

They ended up tapping their friends, both ‘famous’ and up-and-coming, to remix their dreamily ambient ‘Latatoo’ track, which is featured on the forthcoming “Cottage Industries 3” compilation on the ever excellent Neo-Ouija.

And, as the icing on the cake, Sleepy Town have complemented the original track with two original reinterpretations of it by themselves, to put the finishing touches to this perfectly chilled 7-track minialbum. Horizontality is our new mentality, thanks to STM.

To run through the tracks quickly, the original of “Latatoo” is a spectacularly ambient angel-song, with the guest vocals from Anna Yuhanova almost subliminally mixed in – sublime.

Then comes the first remix section, from some of STM’s rising-star friends, with France’s up and coming Tao (from net.labels like Ogredung and Camomille) retooling the track into his more uptempo but still chilled, xylophone and squelch-bass infused ‘Calm Mix’. Next up, it’s fellow Russian Lost_Bit (net.labels such as Enough Records), whose ‘Tatart Mix2’ is curiously orchestral, with almost subliminal pops and scratches and a celestial string section oozing serene ambience over the top.

And, with the immaculately programmed ‘K.A.B.Y.N’ courtesy of Sleepy Town themselves, with guest Alex Kozmidi on guitar and pin-sharp percussion underpinned by improvisation-heavy, gorgeous lead meanderings, we get to the second part of the remixes, from artists already known to those of you who patronise Monotonik regularly.

Firstly, the Australian wunderkind Sense (Neo-Ouija, Aural Industries) imbues his remix with a gradually rising, swelling ambient tone which peaks near the end of the track with a triumphant introduction of shuffling beats – gorgeous stuff. And secondly, Dutch idmtist Secede (Merck) gives us his ‘Another Day Wasted Mix’, which is a real grower – listen to it over and over and you’ll see what we mean.

With the final ambient lead-out of Sleepy Town’s own “Latterly” interpretation, we reach the end of the mini-album, and, if you’re sensible like us, set it immediately to repeat. We’ve already dozed off into sublime semi-consciousness once whilst listening to “Latatoo EP” – how many times can you manage it? 🙂

Oh, and finally, there may be additional remixes posted on Sleepy Town’s site in the next few weeks, but Lackluster’s great remix of “Latatoo” is one you won’t be seeing anywhere, except.. the forthcoming Monotonik mix CD? You heard it here first, more details to follow soon.


Credits:
cover by names


Tracklist:
01 – Latatoo
02 – Latatoo (Tao Calm Mix)
03 – Latatoo (Lost_Bit Tatart Mix2)
04 – K.A.B.Y.N.
05 – Latatoo (Sleepy Sense Mix)
06 – Latatoo (Secede‘s Another Wasted Day Remix)
07 – Latterly

Artwork:
Front Cover

Additional Links:
[Bandcamp]


License:
Attribution-NoDerivs-NonCommercial 1.0 Generic (CC BY-ND-NC 1.0)


Secede – Mommylove & Daddypride EP {mtk084}

Artist: Secede
Title:
Mommylove & Daddypride EP
Label:
Monotonik
Catalog #:
mtk084
Release Date:
2002/08/15


We’re very proud to present the first release on Monotonik from Secede, a Dutch-based artist who’s just starting to get a lot of buzz online, with a remix featured on the hotly anticipated Machine Drum remix CD due out on Merck pretty soon, plus a full length solo CD (also on Merck) to follow.

So, this 4-track EP is a perfect introduction to the lush, melodic and intelligent sound of Secede, with the first track, “Depart & Arrive”, cutting up a gorgeous ambient waltz with the American president’s strangely melodious ramblings about the situation in Afghanistan.

From then on, things can only get better, with “Option Screen (Phantas)”, bringing in an immaculately cowbell-infested hip-sway groove, almost Nightmares On Wax-esque in its nonchalance, and “Seafold” cutting up haunting melodies and wayahead chilled cuts. Finally, “I Can’t Help Fearing You” is a spectacular mess of notes gelled into one nutritious, ambient parting whole.

So, whether you’re a shover or a pusher (but a pusher’s a jerk), shove yourself into the horizontal position and enjoy this EP – we’re pretty sure we’ll be hearing more of Secede. If only when he mails us to complain about this overblown, but very necessary song description 😉


Credits:
watchcamphoto by h0l


Tracklist:
01 – Depart & Arrive
02 – Option Screen (Phantas)
03 – Seafold
04 – I Can’t Help Fearing You

Artwork:
Front Cover


License:
Attribution-NoDerivs-NonCommercial 1.0 Generic (CC BY-ND-NC 1.0)