tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7220957931635097123.post6162560223590903370..comments2023-09-25T22:26:25.692+10:00Comments on mnml ssgs: Monolake's "Ghosts"chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17030219185948353658noreply@blogger.comBlogger23125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7220957931635097123.post-71816041727499909502012-07-05T10:24:51.149+10:002012-07-05T10:24:51.149+10:00ableton live was his anathema... I haven't had...ableton live was his anathema... I haven't had anything "real" to listen to since, maybe, Live Buddha. Relic standard...Nubban Lama Mipham Chögyalhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13741686094061776954noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7220957931635097123.post-54608574811890449652012-05-03T12:05:10.676+10:002012-05-03T12:05:10.676+10:00After seeing Ghosts performed live in 3D surround ...After seeing Ghosts performed live in 3D surround sound at Unsound NYC I'm even more convinced this is just too clean and clinical to be interesting. Particularly in contrast to the Demdike Stare live show that preceded it.TWBhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02910850462348309021noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7220957931635097123.post-80374241239792470512012-04-15T05:19:20.803+10:002012-04-15T05:19:20.803+10:00hey chris, thanks for responding (and pardon my ta...hey chris, thanks for responding (and pardon my tardiness). <br /><br />yes, now that i've gone away and come back to the album a few times, i'm starting to prefer 'silence' - the sounds on 'ghosts' are really crisp and clean, i think, but too often they seem to stand too far out in space, especially in many of the rhythmic tracks. ironically, the more reduced tracks here have become the ones i generally return to (toku, phenomenon, unstable matter). i still think there's a dark, discordant theme that lurks in the background of 'ghosts' - one that provides an interesting contrast to the gentler stuff of 'silence' and can be addictive for the right heads. and i commend henke for the experiment and i think it fits his story nicely... but now i think he went a bit too far and left a bit too much of that monolake soul (or charm, or whatever) behind. i'm not as 'against' the album as you guys (and many others) are, but at this point i'll probably be listening more to the first part of the trilogy than the second as i wait (impatiently) to see how things wrap up in the future.brianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05564098443410949296noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7220957931635097123.post-57496680579086820712012-04-04T12:27:58.554+10:002012-04-04T12:27:58.554+10:00@ brian: guilty as charged! i have the CD, but i m...@ brian: guilty as charged! i have the CD, but i must admit i did not read the text. i am not sure how much it would have changed my opinion of the music, though. insofar as it being part of a trilogy, i find this a bit strange, as i feel the two albums are quite different. i thought "silence" was probably his best album since "cinemascope" and was doing something more different and interesting, but now it seems more like an aberration. "ghosts" seems like a much more logical extension of the direction he has been pursuing over the last decade. anyway, when the 3rd album comes out, let's see, i might try it, but i have a feeling i might be done with monolake.chrishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17030219185948353658noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7220957931635097123.post-62445919235264177982012-04-03T23:05:44.103+10:002012-04-03T23:05:44.103+10:00"I was never really into drugs" he says ..."I was never really into drugs" he says on RA. i'm totally aware of the oversimplification here, but in a way, i found this album and other Henke stuff a bit harmless, too sane and down to earth, despite the initial intentions. maybe he should pop a tab now and then. maybe he'd bring back what's lacking to his art. a bit of a grey magic edge... a pinch of disturbing and actually haunting psychedelism.<br />more seriously, after a couple of proper (hifi) listens to Ghosts, i happened to listen to 'Drukqs' (total coincidence with the above ?), dating back from 2001, and then it became quite obvious why i couldn't really get thrilled by sthg like Ghosts. let's say that as 'fundamental' the role Henke played in today's electronic music, he looks to me like a very studious and shy kid pleasing his parents and teachers ('live ableton', great science project kiddo ! here, get an A+ !), when RDJ was a wild self-taught freak inventing a whole new world of knowledge, skills and formulae, yet to be surpassed, artisticly AND technically. let alone surpassed, just digested and matched...<br />and talking about ghostly, i guess any of Henke's 'Halloween children' would shit themselves to death in the vicinity of the sweetest Aphex entity.DietrichDiskohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14276659326183547085noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7220957931635097123.post-70639768255740452012012-04-02T15:31:54.469+10:002012-04-02T15:31:54.469+10:00i wrote the RA review, hope you got something cons...i wrote the RA review, hope you got something constructive out of that, and my writing below:<br /><br />i really liked the album (obviously). i understand the sentiment about it being too cold, sterile, lifeless, even boring, etc. i would call it very clinical, and i like that. we're different in how tolerant we are of such sounds, i think. i am, still, enthralled by a lot of the stuff on this album and i think henke's playful nature (which i've always liked) leaps out, even if the touch is a bit colder (and less romantic) than previous albums.<br /><br />in my review i was hoping to convey how i thought this album fit in with (after) 'silence.' and while i didn't say it outright, i think it's difficult to draw comparisons to earlier albums which were generally independent musical statements, which doesn't seem to be the case here.<br /><br />and i see a lot of importance in the writings that have accompanied these last two albums. for me it adds 'humanity' and plot. i wonder how many people are reading it; it was obviously important enough to henke to include as part of the experience. and i got through just about all of this blog post: chris makes no mention, and PC apparently wasn't in the mood to talk about it either (although he does discuss the artwork). why not? i'm surprised. it seems like you guys completely ignored part of the album.<br /><br />also, i don't understand the comparison to that dettmann remix. i feel like it ignores the fact that dettmann, as prolific as he has become, has almost never strayed from *functional* techno. "even kick, nice" you say... of course it's nice (given dettmann's experience, i would hope so) but i think henke's made it obvious he's not interested in even kicks. so why try to compare the two?<br /><br />long story short, i was hoping to see how mnml ssgs interprets the album as the middle part of a trilogy. and surely you guys are still interested enough to see it reach its conclusion? cheers, brianbrianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05564098443410949296noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7220957931635097123.post-82869542243659394432012-03-25T14:24:11.155+11:002012-03-25T14:24:11.155+11:00Glad to see I'm not going mad; I listened to t...Glad to see I'm not going mad; I listened to the clips online and all the tracks sounded like stuff that wasn't good enough to make his earlier albums. It's so easy to recognise it's him, but sadly there's not enough going on in the tracks for you to be able to distinguish them from one another in your memory. What a shame. Anyone that thinks this is worthy of his reputation is blinded by devotion.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7220957931635097123.post-4052853927267483342012-03-25T14:22:19.976+11:002012-03-25T14:22:19.976+11:00This comment has been removed by the author.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7220957931635097123.post-15113808613861564162012-03-22T21:50:02.815+11:002012-03-22T21:50:02.815+11:00Agreed with the above, INTERSTATE is henke at his ...Agreed with the above, INTERSTATE is henke at his best for me. A bit more melodic perhaps, tonal (sometimes with many 'accidentals'. I was looking forward to Ghosts quite a bit but find it lacks somehow. It has far more definition than any of his previous releases and the moving away from techno doesn't bother me at all. Club music is mostly boring these days...sad yes, but I guess everything has its time. <br />Ghosts is supersharp high-definition focus, all the smear is gone.Lindsayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18364871727342552058noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7220957931635097123.post-4673624264639363382012-03-20T08:01:18.004+11:002012-03-20T08:01:18.004+11:00@ rubixhelix: thanks very much for your kind words...@ rubixhelix: thanks very much for your kind words.<br /><br />Actually, writing that way took only the exact duration to listening to the album; much less time than a considered 300 word review.<br /><br />That's the good thing about consciousness - it's a stream.PChttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11828854682227101864noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7220957931635097123.post-89679363454775404242012-03-19T23:20:53.678+11:002012-03-19T23:20:53.678+11:00i really appreciated the stream of conciousness re...i really appreciated the stream of conciousness review, i have similar thought patterns when listening, what is this piece saying to me? where am i being taken? whats the point? im surprised yall would dedicate so much time to something you didnt approve of... but it was an entertaining read!<br /><br />would be nice if other reviewers gave honest feedback more often...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7220957931635097123.post-78617851061430145702012-03-18T11:11:59.652+11:002012-03-18T11:11:59.652+11:00@ penmnanpm: it's funny, when I write 'nat...@ penmnanpm: it's funny, when I write 'naturally' I get accused of all kinds of things - verbosity, inpenetrability, writing in 'hipster patois'. The irony (is it irony) of spare/pellucid prose is that it is actually far more mannered. <br /><br />This piece was written after two colds + flu tablets and some strong coffee. It was written in one take; it's my attempt to give a 'natural' and spontaneous emotional and personal reaction to the record, for specific reasons. If I were reviewing the new, Gillian Welch, it might be fruitful to get a computer to review it, if you know what I mean. The intended geist is light-hearted and playful.<br /><br />@ OS: I almost totally agree with your assessment. On the radio last Monday with James I explained - James has 0 techno archive and didn't know Monolake -that ML/Henke is less like music and closer to engineering or architecture. I think that's fine, but isn't it problematic when there is so little music in his music?<br /><br />Of course, this depends: what do we expect? What do we want? What are we prepared to be patient with and indulgent of (obviously people are far more willing to allow this with Henke than, say, my ridiculous review)?<br /><br />I guess the biggest criticism of Ghosts for me, after they've all settled, is that <br /><br />it *isn't* sonically interesting. <br /><br />But there are also weird analogues to be drawn between 'Ghosts' and 'Far Side Virtual', I think. Though The latter is obviously/deliberately much flatter…. where do we end up by pursuing this path? Leaving aside whether the 'music' paradigm is even appropriate for a creator like this, there is an impasse here, a cul-de-sac.<br /><br />And so: Henke can have is aluminium ping-pong balls, but given this is a relase -and and album, and an album with a theme - he is showing his balls to everybody, deliberately.<br /><br />Here are my ping ping balls, and they are called Ghosts. <br /><br />Here is another review: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H7iMiT3MoP0<br /><br />wherein Vince is the 'average listener', and Henke is… Mr Susan… (also fits Chris and Vivienne's wild bore gaming)<br /><br />thank you to all players so far...PChttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11828854682227101864noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7220957931635097123.post-39803928170331790192012-03-18T07:52:08.550+11:002012-03-18T07:52:08.550+11:00An engaging sport...
The method is competitive and...An engaging sport...<br />The method is competitive and requires at least two borers and two bored. The former are easily obtained and thrive in captivity. The rules are as follows - each player engages a bore in conversation and proceeds to ply him or her with platitudinous remarks calculated to produce bromides in reply. The object is to inveigle the bore into uttering a particular platitude on which the players have agreed. Players are disqualified if either they or their bores engage in general conversation of a type which is definitely original or involves thought. Nothing is allowed but bromides, though, of course, should a player disclose to his bore the object of the game and encourage his participation he is instantly excluded from decent sporting circles for life.<br /><br />The Home, Feb 1932Chris and Viviennehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11302359399677102191noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7220957931635097123.post-56367114223080165772012-03-18T03:31:34.854+11:002012-03-18T03:31:34.854+11:00I saw his showcase at berghain. Really disappointe...I saw his showcase at berghain. Really disappointed. Boring visuals. Boring sterile unemotional Music. <br />It doesnt catch me<br /><br />Very sad about this. Monolale was huge for me in the 90ies. <br /><br />Thats all i can say.anonymhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01035018505777381702noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7220957931635097123.post-48745653161444834362012-03-18T03:07:32.633+11:002012-03-18T03:07:32.633+11:00These comments are from a reader called OS, who do...These comments are from a reader called OS, who doesn't have an identity for posting:<br /><br />"Henke said recently in an interview (RA, FACT, I forget where) that he considers himself a much better sound designer than composer. I think that sort of sums up what both of your reviews, which make some good points by the way, seem to be getting at.<br /><br />For me, as a long time Henke fan (and Ableton user), I don't think of Robert's last few album projects as his main focus, and consider them somewhat differently than I did earlier work like, say, Cinemascope as you pointed out or 1999's Interstate, which is one of my all time favorite techno documents - as human/organic/propulsive an electronic album as there ever was in my opinion.<br /><br />Interestingly, he also said recently (maybe the same interview) that he has stepped away from active involvment in the development of Ableton to focus on his other projects because he didn't find that the overtly commercial environment fit with his current interests. I'm paraphrasing, of course.<br /><br />Clearly, I'm one of the loyal followers that you refer to, but at the same time I don't expect to have my mind blown every single time I come into contact with his work. Do you know why? Because he's hugely prolific musically and otherwise.<br /><br />Setting aside the 8 or so Monolake LP's and numerous singles, the several non-techno albums he's released under his own name, and the foundational work he did for Ableton, the guy is also a university professor, a former mastering engineer, and is in near-constant collaboration with visual artists, musicians, and engineers.<br /><br />On the visual tip, the only one of his installations that I've seen was Atom (the balloon one he did w/ Christopher Bauder). A fairly simple visual idea of balloons rising and falling w/ some cool lighting that happened to have a pretty heavy quadraphonic soundtrack of live electronics. Techno simply wasn't on my mind as I sat on the stage of a darkened theater to experience it.<br /><br />Chris says that "when the history of techno is being written, it is not going to be his work as a producer or as a performer that will be most important". Possibly, but I think the problem with that statement is that it assumes that Henke belongs in a battered old record crate labeled Techno.<br /><br />I think the price we pay for not getting earth-moving sonic innovation aimed at the dancefloor from Henke every time he releases a Monolake album is that we get to enjoy the fruits of his diverse output in other areas. What I'm really saying in the end is, let the man have his aluminum ping pong balls for fuck's sake."mnmlssghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00554289683044246432noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7220957931635097123.post-82368395249206006402012-03-17T19:48:36.918+11:002012-03-17T19:48:36.918+11:00Christ...and I just ordered this from hardwax, now...Christ...and I just ordered this from hardwax, now my ears will be all colored from reading this. At least its my first Monolake full-lenght so I will probably get more enjoyment out of it than you did, judging from your über-jaded reviews.<br /><br />Also PC love your writing but sometimes I wish you'd keep the puns a little more in check ;).john doehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02313550737756334747noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7220957931635097123.post-83458034839738963712012-03-17T09:30:10.118+11:002012-03-17T09:30:10.118+11:00Loved both reviews, even I don't quite agree w...Loved both reviews, even I don't quite agree with them...this album is sterile but that is something I've always liked in Monolake. It's not a great album, just decent for sure and Chris was mostly on the mark.Silence was indeed a great comeback to form, but nothing that different from Cinemascope(although my favorite best track in Silence puts everything else on Cinemascope behidn)<br />And his masterpiece is not Cinemascope sorry. It's Interstate, which I continue to go back once and a while and each time love it a bit more. <br />Henke is already in the history of electronic music, Ableton is enough for his Hall of Fame status.jaslhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15091894985246346324noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7220957931635097123.post-13705609189981807892012-03-17T01:22:17.775+11:002012-03-17T01:22:17.775+11:00I mean I like pretentiousness much more that safe ...I mean I like pretentiousness much more that safe cynism, but the sadly words on this site for some time go way beyond anything I can digest...Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14651094773075105683noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7220957931635097123.post-90456207349391216082012-03-16T23:56:42.536+11:002012-03-16T23:56:42.536+11:00I get what your saying, my first impressions of it...I get what your saying, my first impressions of it were that it was... 'sterile' is the best description. But I saw him do his showcase in london, and the whole thing made a lot more sense after that. At volume, on fabric's system,the aesthetic was much easier to enjoy, or to at least appreciate. The whole ideas of ghosts, and the accompanying text made a lot more sense after hearing it there.<br /><br />I guess I would describe it more as an 'aesthetic' rather than a narrative (or any other thing an album 'should' be)... A bit like Ikea then.. not much of a compliment really, but it did sound great on a big system!Freddie23https://www.blogger.com/profile/14508972985812440926noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7220957931635097123.post-25111788737989981182012-03-16T22:16:39.936+11:002012-03-16T22:16:39.936+11:00almost fully agree with chris, the album is too co...almost fully agree with chris, the album is too cold to enjoy, its almost lifeless and you said you were dissapointed, well i am, i expected something not to only sound good (whatever that is), but to feel something new and unexplored..<br />couldnt read through everything peter wrote, but i agree its very formulaic indeed, monolake has got his techniques right, but theres only formulas left in this album :(Rokashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02347485108202159022noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7220957931635097123.post-10255545770460397932012-03-16T19:13:20.056+11:002012-03-16T19:13:20.056+11:00And I meant 'Ghosts' obviously..And I meant 'Ghosts' obviously..Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7220957931635097123.post-88139569848757937592012-03-16T12:31:13.069+11:002012-03-16T12:31:13.069+11:00Very good piece, Chris. Respectful, but(hence?) ho...Very good piece, Chris. Respectful, but(hence?) honest.<br /><br />What I find paradoxical about 'Silence' is that it would probably be almost completely ignored if it was someone's debut. But it's almost as far as from a debut as can be, so it slowly becomes one of the most discussed albums of last months, if not years.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7220957931635097123.post-57713613497088445512012-03-16T11:51:16.985+11:002012-03-16T11:51:16.985+11:00Ahahahaha is it just me or is Peter's review h...Ahahahaha is it just me or is Peter's review hilarious? I just totally lol-ed.やまぐhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04334424855816414899noreply@blogger.com