Monolink – ‘Amniotic’
Release: 30th April 2018
Label: Embassy One
Photography by Hailley Howard
Monolink’s debut album, ‘Amniotic’, is scheduled to be released through Embassy One – a sub-label of Embassy of Music – at the end of this month.
Hailing from, and currently residing in Berlin, Steffen Linck, AKA Monolink, describes his style as Electro-Folk. He is both a singer-songwriter and electronic music producer. While to many these might sound like two very different aspects of modern sound culture, the combination makes Monolink a fascinating artist, as he’s very much accomplished at both disciplines. His style seamlessly connects the narrative structure of a song with the compelling forward thrust of electronic rhythms. Guitar chords merge into synthetic pad sounds, hypnotic bass vibrations meet emotional vocal parts, passionate physicality meets sublime stimulation for the mind.
It is the experiential nature of Monolink’s music that defies the muddy definition of modern live electronic music. Armed with an innate understanding and grasp of Berlin underground culture, he combines this sound with the pop-leaning sensibility of American electronica. In doing so, Monolink transports listeners into his very own, entirely unique realm of sonic exploration. His music is pillared by emotive guitar tones, analogue synth stabs and his own vocals – acting as a singular point of departure for this budding talent.
The process is almost intuitive for Monolink, “Sitting down and writing a song on a specific topic is foreign to me. I want to be surprised by my lyrics, to find an idea that appeals to me and is not just coming from the logical part of my brain.”
The first single off the album, ‘Sirens’, was debuted at Australia’s Strawberry Fields Festival 2017, where Monolink performed to a packed out crowd and later released an official recap video. The single charted at #4 on iTunes Germany and received triumphant remix duties from techno phenom Patrice Baumel.
In Monolink’s own words, “EPs are popular with most producers and DJs in the electronic music scene. But I come from a band background and albums are unmatchable for me. I’m a huge fan of listening to large bodies of work from start to finish and taking a plunge into the world the artist has created. Pink Floyd’s “Dark Side of the Moon” is an example of an album that still fascinates me to this day.
Generally, I wanted “Amniotic” to have a tremendous tangible connection to life and nature, especially the lyrics. When you play gigs all over the world, your life takes place at airports, in cars or hotel rooms. I have noticed more and more often how I enjoy getting away from society, out of the cities and into nature; and that’s very much reflected in this album.”
Following the release of ‘Amniotic’, Monolink will be embarking on his 3-month live trot across the US, Europe and UK where he’ll be exhibiting his evolved live performance. Steffen performs all of his music live with Ableton, his guitar and fully live vocals; proving to be something truly different in the global modern techno scene. Monolink will also be featured as one of the main artists in Apple’s forthcoming documentary “Sounds of Berlin”.
Embassy One is a subsidy of Embassy of Music, which has released gems from talents like Björk, Booka Shade, Moby and more. The album stands as Monolink’s first complete body of work, following his 2017 EP “Burning Sun” via Sol Selectas, and “The End”, a collaborative record with Acid Pauli in 2015.
Amniotic track listing:
1. Amniotic
2. Black Day
3. Sirens
4. Rearrange
5. Frozen
6. Father Ocean
7. Swallow
8. Take Me Home
9. Riverman
10. Return To Oz
11. Burning Sun
