Extracting meaning from the depths of the world’s currents is at the core of Monolink’s newest album, Under Darkening Skies. The German artist builds a complete, explorative world through the 12-track album. It is in this world that listeners are enveloped in spellbinding soundscapes and thought-provoking songwriting to offer a profound experience, one that helps bridge the inner feelings and the turmoil of our contemporary society. Everything about the album is exactly what we wanted from Monolink’s sophomore album. It’s also a perfect follow-up to Monolink’s 2018 album Amniotic and continues his extraordinary — and rather unique — artistry that is equal parts singer-songwriter and ingenious composer capable of twirling a cacophony of electronic sounds and live instrumentation to dance to the emotional beat he desires.
This past Friday marked the release of Under Darkening Skies and came one of the best electronic albums of the year. With that in mind, I set out to peer into Monolink’s mind and explore what went into the album, how he’s handled the pandemic, and his artistry as a whole. Here is our exclusive interview with Monolink.
How have you handled the pandemic? What have you done to pass the time or stay sane?
I worked solidly on my new album since the beginning of 2020. Perhaps this was one of the only good things about the pandemic as it gave me such a long time to focus on the new music rather than be interrupted by touring. That probably won’t happen again ! I did really miss touring though. Not just the travelling, but also the experiences, inspirations and people you can find on the road. Which in turn help creatively with the song writing and recording process
What have been the biggest influences on your career that have helped shape your sound and the entire 360 artistry?
The Beatles certainly were a big influence when I was young listening to music.
Pete Doherty and The Libertines was an early inspiration when I started to make music, I felt inspired by his songwriting skills a lot. Then I went through all the classics like Pink Floyd, Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Leonard Cohen, Rolling Stones. Out of the electronic world, Nicolas Jaar was certainly my most eye-opening discovery, and maybe still is. I felt like that was the future of music and he still remains a big influence.
But also German artists inspired me a lot like Acid Pauli, David August, Stimming, Extrawelt, too many to list all of them.
You worked with the legend that is Acid Pauli/Console on the two-part “The End”. What was it like working with him and how has that work influenced the Monolink project?
Working with and getting to know Martin was really inspiring. His approach to music back then was completely based on sampling off old vinyls. Also, he didn’t seem to care too much about common rules in music production, I remember he made a trackback then that changed its tempo every 8 bars. Those are things I’m trying to remember when I get stuck, most rules are just in our heads.
You started out DJing and then moved to live instrumentation and vocals. Did you always plan to do this? Has this switch changed anything with how you create your music?
I actually started my musical career as a singer-songwriter and only later added electronic productions to my songs.
When I moved to Berlin around ten years ago and discovered part of the underground scene here, I was amazed by the experience of sound and community, which was completely new to me.
The Folk music that I played and loved was all about storytelling and not so much about sound, at least for me. My idea was then to bring those two worlds together. Actually, it was less of an idea and more of just a natural drive to try it out.
You just released your album, Under Darkening Skies. Walk us through the creation process. How long did it take to write/create? What are the ideas and themes that you set out to explore? Where did you record it?
With the new album it was definitely about getting back into songwriting. I guess I am always going to be a guitarist and it is an instrument I love and which features heavily on the new album. But Under Darkening Skies also meant new instruments, breaking out of life of just on the guitar and buying a piano, “to really sit down and write about stuff that’s happening in my life or in the world.”
I’ve spent the past year in the studio and had a really productive time trying out new things. I produced the album using Ableton, working closely with my mixer and arranger Stefan Thomas. I worked a lot on the piano and old synths this time, tried out new tempos and structures
I recorded it all in my studio in Berlin.
You mentioned that the album connects different dots in your life, how do you explore these experiences and bring them to life through your music? If you’re able to share, what are the specific moments in your life that you explore?
I’ve been writing songs and collecting lyrical and harmonic ideas for over 15 years now, so I have a lot of drafts I can go back to. Sometimes I remember a forgotten song of mine which I wrote as a teenager, and it makes me happy to revisit those emotions again. That’s what I mean by connecting dots. ‘The Prey’ for example is based on a song idea and a story that happened to me in Cuba when I was 16. I find it somehow surreal and beautiful that some words I wrote back then will now influence the music I make 16 years later.
What is the reason behind the name Under Darkening Skies?
For a while, I’d been thinking that the world was heading in the wrong direction. Climate change, migration crisis, the huge ever-widening divide between rich and poor, the rise of populist dictatorships, social media intrusion, the erosion of tolerance etc. I had a track with this working title that I was playing in my live sets in 2019 and it just occurred to me that it fitted the whole project. Then COVID happened and the skies absolutely darkened. So that was that.
This is your second LP. What have you learned about yourself, your artistry, and the overall message you seek to explore from Amniotic to now, the release of Under Darkening Skies?
I think it is definitely a follow-up album to ‘Amniotic’ in the sense that the listener can go from the first track on ‘Amniotic’ to the last track on ‘Under Darkening Skies’ and know that it is Monolink. But the sound is evolving. Production-wise and sonic influences. More about contrast this time – composing and creating new sounds that play off each other, playing with the “louder and quieter, and harder and softer. But I also wanted to make some tracks that pushed me into new spheres, that were very different from the other tracks I’d made – a new path for me to follow, if you like. The track ‘Falling’ for example. The whole song came very intuitively, without any plan where to go with it sound-wise, I just let the music take the lead. That was a great experience.
Regarding any messages then I think the listener should take what they can from my music for themselves. I’m not here to preach to anybody or direct them how to think.
Throughout the album, you utilize what sounds like organic guitars and drums. How do you accomplish balancing the electronic production with the organic, live instrumentation?
I guess I’m an amalgamation of both folk & indie rock music and electronic music. Stories and songs. And body music, stuff that you would listen to with your body, and you can get into some sort of meditation listening to it. So I try to replicate that in the studio. Matching the stories and the songs brought to life through the organic instruments of guitar, keyboards, and my vocals with the electronic pulse.
If you could choose one place where each of your fans listens to the album, where would it be and why?
Hmmm. I believe that the album is pretty diverse so I kind of hope that the listener can find elements in my album that can cover a range of emotional states, times and places, rather than have it be just for one place, one mood, one time etc. I think I would have failed in my mission if it was just described as a ‘bedroom listen’ album or a ‘party album’ !
With COVID restrictions winding down in many parts of the globe, what plans do you have for live and touring?
Lots ! ! I don’t know yet how much will be achievable given the pandemic still rumbling on, but we are looking to tour extensively in Europe and North America this year.
To stream Under Darkening Skies follow the link here or scroll down.
