For Etui Podcast #37 we inviteted Monomood again. In March 2021 we are about to re-release Various Artists - Decade Dubs on black vinyl. On the original release from 2016 Monomood contributed his track The Smoker. The work impresses with it’s dubby jazz chords and a beloved saxophone. As his first contribution to our podcast series dates back to 2012, it’s time to do an update about his work.

https://youtu.be/iQSZz8Awb3w

Nice to have you back on the podcast series. How things are going?

You mean besides this FUCKING PANDEMIC? Well, yes everything’s fine. I miss the cultural and culinary aspects of everyday life but I’m glad that my beloved and I are up and well.

What are your strategies during the lockdown?

Actually we went out a lot for hiking at abandoned places to avoid any unnecessary contact and I became deeply immersed into the world of DIY studio gear. I finished my 303, a Stereo Pultec, an SSL clone, some API modules and I am about to finalize my NAVA+ pretty soon.

Can you tell us a bit about your studio setup and your production process?

I always try to keep my setup as minimal as possible. Therefore a lot of gear passed through my hands during the last years until I found what I consider the best compromise. I’m now working with a mixture of analog and digital synths being combined with VSTs and processing in Ableton. I always try new starting points to discover fresh ideas and I am deeply obsessed with harmonics and melodies.

Recently you got into modular synths. What are your intentions with it?

I always had difficulties with building cool sequencer loops. You know, clicking notes in a piano roll is not that much inspiring. The world of modular gives me this hands on approach to melodies and grooves that I was always missing. Besides that a modular system can act as some kind of hardware DAW with the ability to manually set automation curves and to dive into never heard moving sounds. I like that a lot.

What was your approach to your track “The Smoker”?

Well in most cases I do not know how a track should sound in the end so it’s nearly always try and error. During the production of The Smoker I deviated from the procedure as I had a certain atmosphere in mind. I experimented a lot with samples from 20’s jazz music but never got satisfied with it so I played and recorded the sax notes myself.

If you look at my tracks it’s always about harmonic layers. Sometimes tracks get a little overcrowded but for me The Smoker and it’s successor Part 2 on Winter Camp 5 both have the perfect balance of dubby chords and that special atmosphere that separates them from common dub techno tunes. Some may like it some not. :)

https://youtu.be/JHSaOYGSkrE

From what do you draw your inspirations?

Mostly from fiddling around with gear and from visiting hidden spots in nature far away from civilisation. 

Please name 3 artists that inspire you and why?

Fresh Moods / Peter Haubfleisch - the king of chilled harmonics and excellent clean, sharp productions

Noisia - at the forefront of innovative D&B they coined the term “R.I.P. Genre” and I always try to follow this narrative by slightly breaking genre rules. Sadly they will discontinue the Noisia project.

Modeselektor - I love their humorous yet professional approach again with little genre borders. And one of the best life acts in electronic music.