Monoform crafts definitive basslines, mechanized beatwork, and slightly chilled-ambient noodling—consistently leaning on distant, dense and mysterious/melodic sonic sculpting.
Yet another benchmark release by Touched (Music For Macmillan Cancer Support), this time from Birmingham-based Monoform (aka Craig Howell) with the 10-piece Mea Culpa album. Seemingly out of nowhere, and well-received around these parts, Mea Culpa comes highly recommended. Exuding a mixture of classic IDM-era influences meshed with current, well-executed sound design.
For those who recall the visceral and surreal depths of Arovane’s Atol Scrap—surprisingly released 17-yrs ago (DIN, Germany)—Mea Culpa fits snug into the early generation of electronic listening music makers (Brothomstates, Funckarma, Arovane, Phonem et al.) The title track and “Protocol” immediately embark on technical and emotive rhythm blocks that Atol Scrap gravitated towards back in the day.
Contrasts and comparisons aside, Monoform crafts definitive basslines, mechanized beatwork, and slightly chilled-ambient noodling—consistently leaning on distant, dense and mysterious/melodic sonic sculpting. Other highlights include “Cerebral,” “Scatter,” and the opening punchy percussion on “Gilded edge.”
In all, Mea Culpa distributes dark electronic tones and simmering atmospherics in swaths.
Mea Culpa is available on Touched Music.
