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Monolake started in 1995 as a collaborative project between Gerhard Behles and Robert Henke, with the release of the 12" vinyl single, entitled 'Cyan', via the Berlin based label Chain Reaction. Both Henke and Behles shared a background in programming, an interest in academic computer music and a fascination for the raw forces of electronic club music. Combining elements of both musical worlds, Monolake's releases are centered around the development of slowly changing repetitive structures, embedded in complex sound design. Since early 2009, Monolake concerts are presented in surround sound with additional real-time computer animation by the dutch visual artist Tarik Barri. Musically, Monolake does not fit into any strict genre definition; its not techno nor minimal, it's not dubstep, and it's not ambient. The best description might be: Music with a lot of bass, a lot of percussions, and a wide and deep sound design. Monolake Live Surround, which will be presented at Numusic, is a research and result project. It's about moving people on the dancefloor, overwhelming the audience with stunning sound and sophisticated visual manipulations. It's about exploring new technologies like ambisonics and wave field synthesis and it's about providing an experience that can only be found in a concert situation. |
Henke’s interest in the combination of art and technology is further evident in his contributions to the development of the music software Ableton Live, which completely redifined the performance practice of electronic music, and has become one of the standard tools for electronic music production. His performances and installations have been shown at well-known places such as Tate Modern in London, the Centre Pompidou in Paris, MUDAM in Luxembourg, the PS1 in New York, the Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney, the Experimental Media and Performing Arts Center (EMPAC) in Troy and the Sonar Festival Barcelona. In addition, Henke holds a professorship in sound design from the Berlin University of Arts, and writes and lectures about sound and the creative use of computers. Monolake's stunning album "Ghosts" will be performed at this year's Numusic in full surround. Prepare to be amazed! Check out the video of their test performance above. |
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