MonoCulture - The Animal Economy
Feb 24, 00:07 by Stefan KoopmanschapSome time ago, I stumbled onto MonoCulture thanks to Last.fm radio. I found out that the artist himself is also on Last.fm and sent him a message thanking him for some great music. Recently, he got back to me and let me know that a new album is available for download.
The Animal Economy, an album out on Urban Sprawl Records, contains of 7 original tracks and two MonoCulture remixes of tracks by other artists, Winterstrand and Teague Cullen. The music can probably be best tagged as ‘laidback instrumental hip hop’, and be compared to Boards of Canada or some Ninja Tune music. Some of the tracks are, to me, slightly too short. This already starts with the opening track, Peace City. Just when you really get into the groove, it fades out to make way for the second too short track, The New Rasputin. Both are really nice laidback tunes and set the tone for the album.
As I’ve mentioned often in my reviews, variation is the key to a good album. MonoCulture realises that, it seems, because My Cancer For A Kingdom, the third track, starts off slightly more tense. This track is definitely more up-tempo as well, but somehow is able to combine the tension with a laidback groove. Excellent music, and with My Cancer For A Kingdom, track lengths are starting to become a bit more satisfying as well.
If, on this release, you’d ever consider yourself not listening to MonoCulture but to Boards of Canada, Parco Girls is the track that would cause the confusion. Gritty beats, beautiful melodies, and that rare laidback feeling that makes you lose yourself in the music, dream away.
To be woken up sudden by the starting beats of Cause And Consequence, with 5:18 the longest track on the release. Though this track is good, it proves that longer is not always better. In my humble opinion, this track is the weakest track on the release. The beats are nice, but for some reason the accompanying sounds and melodies don’t catch me like they do with the rest of the tracks on this release.
Then it’s time for the first remix on the album. Winterstrand’s Syntig has been the subject of reworking by MonoCulture. Though I don’t know the original, the result of this remix is a very nice, laidback, downtempo track with one hell of a bass.
The remix of Teague Cullen’s Tone Service comes up directly after, and definitely does fit directly after. It’s the perfect follow up for the remix of Syntig. Slightly more up tempo in feel, slightly lighter and more open, the Mi Casa Su Casa Monomix of Tone Service brings an excellent laidback track. Again, I don’t know the original, but I definitely appreciate that which the remix brings.
The very atmospheric ending of the Tone Service remix opens the path for the very minimal, ambient piece that is Haragei. It’s beautiful, though possibly less accessible for some people. It shows a whole different side of MonoCulture, one that I definitely appreciate a lot.
The closing track is a short track with it’s 2:41, but massive. It prevents one from dreaming away at the end of the music, but wakes the listener again in such an epic way that you feel confident again to take on the world. Definitely the right way of closing an album, this one definitely does justice as a good closer for this album.
All in all, MonoCulture keeps intriguing me, and I definitely will keep an eye on what happens with MonoCulture. Recommended downloading!
Released on Urban Sprawl Records
See also: MonoCulture website