Tag: Monotonik

Izmar – Conscious EP {mtk149}

Artist: Izmar
Title: Conscious EP
Label: Monotonik
Catalog #: mtk149
Release Date: 2005/07/10

Dutch-based artist Izmar has been releasing on Monotonik for a couple of years now, starting with his marvellous pair of ‘Aze’ albums, which shifted him way away from minimal techno roots into almost Fila Brazillia-style jazzelectronic territory. Now, we get a second follow-up EP, ‘Conscious’, which shifts his wonderful nu-chill in yet another direction, thanks to his unusual use of a sitar on top of his normal voice and live instrument cornucopia.

Thus, we start with ‘Walking’, a typically languid, wordless vocal-filled piece which sounds gorgeous even before the spiralling sitar solo comes in over the top, gently vibrating its way to ecstacy. Switching things up a little, ‘Ippe Oppe’ cuts in some scratching and sneaky samples inbetween some fading brass and progressive percussion. Finally, it’s all about ‘Weird Friend’, a fitting downtempo ending which kicks into a majestic sitar jam halfway through. We heart you, Izmar.

Credits:
cover by h0l

Tracklist:
01 – Walking
02 – Ippeoppe
03 – Weird Friend

Artwork:
Front Cover

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Aereal – Moved Moment EP {mtk148}

Artist: Aereal
Title: Moved Moment EP
Label: Monotonik
Catalog #: mtk148
Release Date: 2005/06/19

We last released something from UK idm-er Aereal all the way back in 2001, so we were delighted when he contacted us and asked us to release a short EP with some of the best tracks he’s worked on since then. Thus, we have the ‘Moved Moment EP’, a four-track set of delightfully looping electronic music.

So, where are we? We start off with ‘Move Moment’, a driving, driven piece of percussive melodic goodness, before moving on to the wonderfully smooth ‘Direct Medic’, and onward and upward to the almost vibrating melodic techno of ‘3D Situation’, a strange mix of the B12-ish Warp and even more Detroit-esque sounds, but with a touch of the new chill in there too. We finish off with the marginally more downtempo ‘Solitary Motions’, and a wonderfully considered end to a classy EP – a touch of the past, but a touch of the gleaming future, too.

Credits:
cover by h0l

Tracklist:
01 – Move Moment
02 – Direct Medic
03 – 3D Situation
04 – Solitary Motions

Artwork:
Front Cover

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Planet Boelex – Second Thoughts EP {mtk147}

Artist: Planet Boelex
Title: Second Thoughts EP
Label: Monotonik
Catalog #: mtk147
Release Date: 2005/05/29

We’re delighted to present a second EP from Finnish artist Planet Boelex, following his first release for Monotonik in the form of the ‘Sinking In The Soup EP’. Boelex is also known as long-time .MOD artist Tweeter, a noted alumni of early labels such as Voodoo, and continues to delight allcomers with his beautifully composed, wonderfully melodic idm sound – oddly retro, but somehow still relevant.

The ‘Second Thoughts EP’ starts with the slow build of ‘Shower Curtain’, all shimmering melody and regular, gorgeously staged, before ‘Windbreak’ ups the ante with even more gorgeous, smooth electronics, and ‘Seed Of Steel’ vibrates in the air, marvellously circumspect, before we get to the last track, a wonderful remix of ST’s previously Monotonik-released ‘I Met A Girl With Butterfly Wings’, only this time the girl is echo-strewn and distant and inspired and electronic and just so evocative, thanks to the marvel of the Planet that is Boelex.

Credits:
cover by h7

Tracklist:
01 – Shower Curtain
02 – Windbreak
03 – Seed Of Steel
04 – S.T. – I Met A Girl With Butterfly Wings (Planet Boelex Remix)

Artwork:
Front Cover

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Kplecraft – KNMS-001 {mtk146}

Artist: Kplecraft
Title: KNMS-001
Label: Monotonik
Catalog #: mtk146
Release Date: 2005/05/08

In tracking some of the more obscure niches of the Japanese retro-bleep music scene, Monotonik has picked up a gem or two in the past (see: Blasterhead). And we’re pleased to say that we’ve struck oil again (or at least, some gushing black pixels) with the first album from Japanese duo Kplecraft, ‘KNMS-001’, a deliciously alternative blend of Game Boy bleep and jazz-techno improvisation.

Here’s what you need to know. Kplecraft consists of Kuske (Nintendo Game Boy with Nanoloop 1.2, saxophone, effects, etc.) and Eddie (percussion, conga, etc.) It is, more or less, a bleep side project of the Japanese jamband PCIA, in a similar way, perhaps, that Eat Static and Ozric Tentacles interact, and oddly enough, it’s the blend of jamming and solid electronic beats that somewhat recall both of those bands, as well as other marvellous oddities like the Holistic Records crew from the Isle Of Wight.

For ‘KNMS-001’, we start with the mechanical jolt of ‘Rupa’, all robot perfection before the echosaturated saxophone jamming kicks in, and its straight into the delicious mix of real instrument and robotic backing that permeates the entire album. Particular highlights? The rather beautiful, swirling melodies of ‘718 Suite: Part 1’, and the half bleep, half insane freak-out that is ‘NNNN’, before finishing with two songs that are .NSF (NES sound chip) only, with ‘8-Bit Goa’ a surprisingly expansive and fitting finish. Rock.

Credits:
pic by Kplecraft

Tracklist:
01 – Intro
02 – Rupa
03 – Symmetric Ido
04 – 718 Suite (Part 1)
05 – 718 Suite (Part 2)
06 – AP1010
07 – NNNN
08 – Braces
09 – 8bit Goa
10 – 0000

Artwork:
Front Cover

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Transient – Be EP {mtk145}

Artist: Transient
Title: Be EP
Label: Monotonik
Catalog #: mtk145
Release Date: 2005/04/17

First things first – American artist Transient’s ‘Over The River And Through The Woods’ on the One netlabel was probably our favorite netlabel release of 2004 – gorgeous laidback electronics that deserve approximately a million listens. And, since we loved the ‘Ancient EP’ he put out on Monotonik a couple of years back, we asked him nicely for an exclusive new EP for us. So he delivered, and now we have the beautifully mixed-up melodics of the puntastically titled ‘Be EP’.

Starting out, we have ‘Ice’, a great stepping-off point for the experience, with pin-sharp percussion and dreamy melodies firmly to the fore. Then we get gratifyingly choppy, with ‘Pinocchio Jazzhands’ a strutting, funky electronic melange. A brief pause, with ‘Treelighting Ceremony…’ and its constant ambient waves, and ‘The Triumphant Return Of The Vigorous Chipmunk’ blasts up a continuation of a theme on Transient’s last Monotonik EP with aplomb. Finally, ‘Ace’ provides a counterpoint for ‘Ice’ and ends things off in style, all pulsing, almost Steve Reich-tinged swirling, repeating melodies with strange, wondrous complexity – marvellous.

Credits:
pic by Transient

Tracklist:
01 – Ice
02 – Pinocchio Jazzhands
03 – Treelighting Ceremony From A Distance
04 – The Triumphant Return Of The Vigorous Chipmunk
05 – Ace

Artwork:
Front Cover

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Machinae Supremacy – Jets ‘N Guns OST {mtk144}

Artist: Machinae Supremacy
Title: Jets ‘N Guns OST
Label: Monotonik
Catalog #: mtk144
Release Date: 2005/03/20

Oh my. Ever since we at Monotonik heard Swedish bleep-metal group Machinae Supremacy cover Chris Huelsbeck’s classic ‘Great Giana Sisters’ theme in heart-rendingly wonderful .SID chiptune vs. Spinal Tap style, we’ve been major, major fans. So, after the group completed the soundtrack to (extremely fun) PC indie shoot-em-up Jets ‘N Guns (http://jng.rakeingrass.com/), and made the entire higher-bitrate quality OST available to fans on their official homepage (http://www.machinaesupremacy.com/), we plucked up a little courage and asked them if we could release it on Monotonik, too.

And guess what? They said yes, and we whooped a lot and drank a celebratory ginger beer. And as a direct result of this, we proudly present the full 28 track masterpiece from Robert Stjärnström, Andreas ‘Gordon’ Gerdin, Kahl Hellmer, Jonas ‘Jonne’ Rörling, and Tomas Nilsén that is ‘Jets ‘N Guns’, the official game soundtrack. But where to start? Well, a notable statement of intent is ‘Theme from ‘Jets ‘N Guns’, of course, which is straightahead, insanely catchy rock theme nirvana, almost as if Taito’s Zuntata had moved to Scandinavia at some undetermined time

But from there, it gets all twisty. ‘Megascorcher’ twins the SID-style bleep with some insane riffing, and ‘Archangels of Sidaroth’ is some unholy melange of doom-like sludge guitar chords and pure chiptune goodness. ‘Kings Of The Sea’, evidently for a water-y game level, brings on the floating and the echo-y ambience, and it goes onward and upward all the way to the absolutely majestic ‘Endgame’, which floats on the waves of sines and glory. Thanks again to Machinae Supremacy for the chance to get this amazing soundtrack out to more people – if you dig it, buy the game, grab Machinae Supremacy’s first stand-alone album, ‘Deus Ex Machinae’, or just mosh happily with your fingers making arcane devilish soundchip symbols, like we do. ‘Nuff said.

Credits:
pic of Jets ‘N Guns

Tracklist:
01 – Game Over
02 – Theme From Jets ‘N Guns
03 – FanVaCoolt (Men Om Nånting)
04 – Koala In The Spider’s Web
05 – Megascorcher
06 – Flight Of The Toyota
07 – Teh Evul p4in Of Doomy Hell
08 – Erecta My Hamburger Baby
09 – Little Green Men
10 – Lava Trouble Bubble
11 – Zogrim Ate My Hamster
12 – Insectoid
13 – Archangles Of Sidaroth
14 – Hyperchase
15 – Burghammer Hill
16 – Knee-Deep In The x0xx
17 – King Of The Sea
18 – Futuremachine
19 – Lord Krutor’s Dominion
20 – SpacePunX
21 – Dududub Dududum
22 – Escaping The Krut
23 – Death From Above
24 – Flames Of Fire
25 – Judgement Fray
26 – Machinaeguns
27 – r0x0rd teh x0xxor – Level Cleared
28 – Endgame

Artwork:
Front Cover

Additional Links:
[Bandcamp]

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Datassette – Maintenance Werk {mtk143}

Artist: Datassette
Title: Maintenance Werk
Label: Monotonik
Catalog #: mtk143
Release Date: 2005/02/27

We found Datassette after he linked to Monotonik from his own artist website. Fortunately, it turns out that he hearts us, and we heart him, since the UK-based artist with the retro-hardware themed pseudonym cuts up a lovely mix of previous Monotonik artists like Vim! and Braces Tower, alternating funky electronica with the geekier bleep end of the spectrum, but coming out all wine and roses in the originality stakes.

Starting out with the BBC Radiophonic Workshop drift of ‘Microfocus’, it’s straight into ‘Hidden Area’, all smooth digital funk crossed with bass vistas you can see for miles, before the herky-jerky digital funk of ‘Computers’ cuts a fine sinelike rug. Moving on swiftly, we become lodged inside a funkbox with the surprisingly sharp ‘Zigzag’, before ‘Eyeballs and Elbows’ continues along the fine, unconventional digifunk path, and perhaps the jewel in the crown, ‘Synthesize’, comes off oddly ’80s, with breathless vocals and ticking bass. Finally, ‘Run Human!’ has a scary robot exhorting us all to, likely, run for the hills. But actually, we all want to come closer and admire Datassette’s handiwork, right? Right.

Credits:
pic by Datassette

Tracklist:
01 – Microfocus
02 – Hidden Area
03 – Computers
04 – Zigzag
05 – Eyeballs And Elbows
06 – Synthesize
07 – Run Human!

Second Edition Tracks:
02 – Flinchbot
04 – Stop

Artwork:
Front Cover
Full Art

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Vim! – Perpetual Autumn EP {mtk142}

Artist: Vim!
Title: Perpetual Autumn EP
Label: Monotonik
Catalog #: mtk142
Release Date: 2005/02/05

We’ve been releasing maze-like, beautifully complex music from quiet, enigmatic UK idm artist Vim! since 1996 – thus, we’re heading towards his 10-year anniversary on Monotonik, insanely enough. With that in mind, it’s only natural that there might be some maturation of style, coming, as it does, after his real-life album and remix releases on Surgery, Merck, Carpark, and others – the hazy, redolent chiptune sinewave sounds of ‘Perpetual Autumn EP’ show how we all grow up and chill out somehow, someway, somewhen.

Therefore, it’s all ‘Chimier’ to start with, ever-obtuse, just not melodically logical, but a wonderfully sideways glance at the chip-idm fringes. Next, ‘C0 pt 2’ is a diode waltz, plain and simple, and an extremely charming interlude, before ‘Wall Of Squares’, with the squares presumably being of the wave variety, blasts into relaxation, eschewing frantic beats for hazy days, before ‘Welcome Afternoon Nap’ takes things down a notch again, delightfully, and ‘Goodbye Payphones’ takes an ambient look at a ‘Rings Around The World’ point of view, sliding off into the sound of somebody trying to reach somebody else, but trying in vain.

Credits:
pic by Vim!

Tracklist:
01 – Chimier
02 – C0 Pt. 2
03 – Wall Of Squares (aka Chip62)
04 – Welcome Afternoon Nap
05 – Goodbye, Payphones

Artwork:
Front Cover

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Planet Boelex – Sinking In The Soup EP {mtk141}

Artist: Planet Boelex
Title: Sinking In The Soup EP
Label: Monotonik
Catalog #: mtk141
Release Date: 2005/01/08

We’ve known of Finnish idm artist Tweeter for several years, stemming from his association with former Monotonik artist Substance’s .MOD label Voodoo, and have previously been delighted to release his gloriously smooth electronic stylings on the label. Now, the notoriously painstaking artist formerly known as Tweeter is called Planet Boelex (actually the name of his last release on Monotonik), and he makes a triumphant return to us with the ‘Sinking In The Soup EP’.

So, we start this particular cauldron of delights with ‘Stuck Tight’, a gloriously direct letter of intent, showcasing the immensely smooth, pulsing groove that’s almost redolent of Luke Slater circa ‘Four- Cornered Room’. Moving on, ‘Paprikas From Deep’ commences with slinkily pulsing hi-hat, and cheekily breaks down, halfway through, before ending all together, all allied in rather beautiful complex idm. Ending up, we have, in quick succession, ‘Rear Entrance Technology’, a gloriously ambiguous title for a very funky idm gadabout, the long, sustained build of ‘Swamp Gas’, and finally, the credits screen roll of ‘Swamp Gas Pt.2 (Outro)’, all Blade Runner shimmer in the twilight, and a fitting finale.

Credits:
pic by Vim!

Tracklist:
01 – Stuck Tight
02 – Paprikas From Deep
03 – Rear Entrance Technology
04 – Swamp Gas
05 – Swamp Gas Pt.2 (Outro)

Artwork:
Front Cover

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ST – I’ll Meet You There EP {mtk140}

Artist: ST
Title: I’ll Meet You There EP
Label: Monotonik
Catalog #: mtk140
Release Date: 2004/12/19

Following the first Monotonik release from Swedish idm-ish artist Stefan Ternemar, aka ST, in 2003, we waited around a little, and suddenly, another EP popped up. Interestingly, although the first ‘Emotions In A Box’ release was very much epic electronic, almost Chris Huelsbeck-ian synthwork, everyone evolves, and thanks to guest spots from a fellow Swedish Monotonik artist (check the ID3 tags for a hint), and some new influences, the ‘I’ll Meet You There EP’ keeps the epic melodies, but slides in some beautiful vocals and spoken-word idylls in a decidedly indielectronic style.

Thus, we start with ‘Csanca’, all glittering stridency and brief, shimmering guest vocals, before ‘I’ll Meet You There’ itself wanders along, exhibiting tumultuous serenity of the highest order, along with extra guest guitars and vocals of serious yearning, before ‘I Met A Girl With Butterfly Wings’, including extraserene spoken word from Sofie Eriksson, finishes thing off in a glittering fashion, twinning ST’s trademark almost new-wave drum sounds with mixed-down female voice and instructional melodies. All in all, an evolution, a dashed evolution, and as sure as dolphins were monkeys, we like the way ST is heading.

Credits:
pic by ST

Tracklist:
01 – Csanca
02 – I’ll Meet You There
03 – I Met A Girl With Butterfly Wings

Artwork:
Front Cover

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