THE ELECTRO REVIEW
  • Home
  • Reviews
    • The Electro Review 21
    • The Electro Review 2020
    • The Electro Review 2019
    • The Electro Review 2017-2018
    • Index
  • Contact
  • Donate
  • Resources
  • Radio Electro

The Electro Review 2017-2018

Monoloc / Jonas Landwehr STYX Unterland | The Electro Review

18/5/2018

Comments

 
Monoloc / Jonas Landwehr STYX Unterland | The Electro Review
​Monoloc / Jonas Landwehr
STYX
Unterland
TBR: 22nd June


The river Styx has a dual personality, either the river that marks the boundary between the world of the living and the underworld or a beautiful and enchanting river goddess, this EP reflects the double edged blade with a split artist production. Almost a various artists production, but not just one contributor, we're treated to a three course meal each from two acts of the Unterland label. Sharing is caring after-all, and when we consider how long it takes to make just a few minutes of quality electronic music, combining our efforts makes a lot of sense.


Monoloc began work as an established artist just under two years ago. The fresh sounds on offer have been given a home under the wing of Unterland, a label he created to represent his work. Knowing that one artist isn't enough for a record label, getting Jonas on board was something vital for this second record from the newly born music company. Unterland describe themselves as having a Stygian sound, which to me throws me into the realm of Conan the Barbarian or even the heavy metal universe of Bal Sagoth. Applying the term to electronic composition allows for mysterious and strange sonics that represent the mystery and illusion brought to mind by such places and things.


Cosmic synthesiser sounds spell out a distance of extreme magnitude in the opening bars of this out there EP. Collisions between large rocky bodies form explosions and rumbles that fill the spaces drawn out before us. An intense beam of sound thrusts itself into the mix at various points, bringing new and terrifying energy that distorts and bends all around it. New drum sounds enter the mix as all fades to a horizontal quiet, a beating echo drum twinges on the real before everything slowly disappears.


When the next track begins, the drum is given front row seats and as an electronic clipping and bass drum synchronously form an eerie soundtrack, digital nuances creep in over the top in pulsating tones and scales. Breathy noises swirl and dissipate, like summer clouds high up in the atmosphere, the icy tingles of glitter shine in tiny lights. The collapsing and growing sensations that the sounds invoke draw closer as a bass tone begins to waver around a key pitch. As all sounds gel into one slowly moving river of liquid amplitude, the blend creates an interesting venue for all kinds of mental stimuli to feed from.


Thrive is the final Monoloc mix on this six track release. Spooky and illuminatory, the furthest places are reached out for and gestures as to what lays beyond are carved into sound and silence. White noise and bass drum combine with a construction of polyphonic runs of tone that seep in and out of existence. A brassy tone in the bass section begins to add a buoyant reverberation in short expulsions of deep airy pressure. Revolving around the continual phasing of tones and percussion is a sense of togetherness and clarity although it's hard to point to it precisely. Simple match-making in the crossing of intentions within each inserted instrument pin together the pieces of a dreamy sunrise.


When we make room for Jonas Landwehr, we move right along into a new section. Not one to shy from his own art, the once tranquil and spacey soundscape painted for us is filled with mechanical life. Quick buzzing pitches and tones knit into a twine of up and down moving sounds. Melodic inputs gently craft a topography from the neatly ordered chaos, piano taps in various learned places give a backbone to this newly formed organism. Once the initial intensity settles down, a rhythm protrudes from within and points out the peaks to newly garnished mountains. From Cerulean and Beyond really does whisk us into something already there and willing to show itself to our passing ears.


Sillage brings a faster beat with it, a nicely progressing intro starts the drum first, then synth and cymbal hand in hand join the show. Pulsing sounds add to the tempo while gently speaking notes begin to slowly make a bed in the music. As the sound of chirping synthesiser grows in volume, more voices of sound are given air to breathe. Something pulls the string, and most of the initial form vanishes leaving only the recent additions of waveform which are soon used to build on more layers and towers that change everything just enough to notice. A driving sensation pulls the music forward and grumbles of underscore push everything up in places that seem to beckon them. The progression moves again and the metallic surges of energy begin to dominate just for a few moments. It brings everything back to the bass drum it began with to rebuild what has disintegrated under its own pressures.


Aenea's Return features Charlotte Weber. The final number on this EP begins with piercing abstractions that change the direction and grain as fluidly as gusts of wind on an icy lake. Soon it's as if we go under the water itself as new distorted wobbles gather in bubble like groups as we delve deeper into these mysterious audial surroundings. Now the jumpy timbres seem to be shafts of light darting into view from behind reaching jungles of underwater plants. Are there seductive sirens calling to us in the distance? Perhaps, maybe we should just admire this forest of light and bubbling reality. I think they're drawing in closer, move like the reeds and maybe they wont see us.


Like physics and biology, these two artists share a chemistry between them which works well progressively and compliments each other on many levels. The work as itself brings in a brand new energy and awareness on new realms of dark yet sonically enlightening areas of digital space. Honey and pot, these two composers of out of the way sounds need to be given our focus and studied with the telescope because inside this nebula is something glowing and hot.  
Find Monoloc on Amazon


and Amazon UK


also on iTunes


As well, look for Jonas Landwehr on Amazon,


Amazon UK


and iTunes.  
Comments
    Ancient Machine by Rowan Blair Colver

    Author

    Rowan Blair Colver for the Homunculus Media Group

    Thanks for supporting the documentation of underground electronic sounds.
    Please consider supporting this website with the following links:
    ​
    Amazon Daily Deals

    Amazon UK Daily Deals
    ​
     
    eBay UK

    ​eBay US

    eBay DE


    Thank You!
    Deltic Books
    Lucid Leadership by R B Colver
    Like and Share, show you care!
    Homunculus Media
    Read The Electro Review 2019

    Archives

    February 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017

    Amazon US 

    eBay US 

    Amazon UK 

    eBay UK 

    eBay DE

    Amazon IT 

    Want free cryptocurrency? Explore these crypto faucets. 

    MAGIX Software

    Categories

    All
    1954 A Part Of Me
    Aera The Sound Path
    Afriqua Aleph EP
    Aïsha Devi DNA Feelings
    Albrecht La'brooy Tidal River
    Aleksi Perala Paradox
    Amirali Odyssey EP
    Ansome British Steel
    ASA 808 Woke And Love Trumps Fear
    Blue Veil Natural Boundary EP
    Brame & Hamo Club Orange
    Brecon Carin Remixes
    Broken Promises 1 - 4
    Carlton Doom Necrodancer EP
    Chloe Endless Revisions
    Colin Mawson Death Of The Ego
    CutOff!CutOff! Fluxus
    Deadbeat Wax Poetic For This Our Great Resolve
    Desert Sound Colony Fast Life
    Detroit Swindle High Life
    DFFDL & Scenic Recovery “Split”
    DJ Seinfeld Sakura EP
    DJ SPRINKLES & HARDROCK STRIKER SKYLAX HOUSE EXPLOSION 1 UNDER THE GARAGE
    Engyn Jesus Pose
    Eomac And Paula Temple
    Eomac & Seán Carpio ETXC002
    Fabriclive 96
    Faerber 070717 EP
    Fckdsko Dusk
    Fellec So That I May See You Again
    Francois X Irregular Passion
    Ghost Tracks
    Go Away The Remixes Disco Halal
    Grabyourface And Mantle We Live
    Groeni Nihx
    Hammer Ozone EP
    Hermetics Techgnosis EP
    Housemeister Soo Good
    HTRK Drama
    HTRK Dying Of Jealousy Ghostly International
    James Braun Tearjerker EP
    Junes Circuit Rift
    Kayla Painter Cannibals At Sea EP
    Kwartz Show Me That Light EP
    Light Pillar Phantasmagoria
    Lixo Cicada EP
    Locked Groove & Innershades The Gate
    Locked Grove Oscillate
    Lo Shea Activation / Pressure
    Lowering Sleep In Perpetual Storm
    MARMO
    Max Cooper One Hundred Billion Sparks
    Max Cooper World Passing By
    MONOLOC / JONAS LANDWEHR STYX UNTERLAND
    Morgan Blanc Confidences
    Nera Terrae The Nhart Demons
    No Mask Effect Beings
    Opal Sunn Parallax EP
    Outlander Father Lord And Wizard
    Paul Frick Second Yard Botanicals
    PERC & TRUSS LEATHER & LACE REMIXED
    Pieces Of Juno Tacenda
    Prequel Tapes Core (Black) / Two Moons
    Quest Quay
    Resonance Moscow News 12/18 Various Artists
    Roman Flugel Fabric 95
    Ruairi O'Baoighill To See Without Eyes
    Satori Yam
    Scalameriya Hellzone Megapunk EP
    SCB Engineered Morality
    Sebastian Mullaert Broken Mirror
    Sepehr Body Mechanics EP
    Shall Remain Nameless Earth Texas
    Sieren Ascension EP
    Simple Symmetry And Red Axes I Love You
    Simple Symmetry Beginners Guide To Magic EP
    Spacetime Continuum Sea Biscuit
    Special Request Belief System
    SP-X Contours Of The Soul
    Steffi World Of The Waking State
    STL Nonzero Sonics EP
    Subespai A Deafening Silence
    Subespai And Doxylamine Base Eupcaccia Records
    Submerse Are You Anywhere
    Takeleave Inner Sea Project: Mooncircle
    Tommy Holohan Ros Eó
    Various Artists Sounds Of SUB:STANCE
    Veins Full Of Static Cinder And Bone
    Vladimir Dubyshkin Cheerful Pessimist
    Volruptus Hessdalen EP
    Waajeed Mother EP
    трип 20 - Don't Mess With Cupid Cos Cupid Ain't Stupid

    RSS Feed

Thanks for supporting The Electro Review
Understanding Consumer Behaviour: Customer Decision-Making and the Customer Journey

Becoming a Better Music Teacher, ABRSM

  • Home
  • Reviews
    • The Electro Review 21
    • The Electro Review 2020
    • The Electro Review 2019
    • The Electro Review 2017-2018
    • Index
  • Contact
  • Donate
  • Resources
  • Radio Electro