- Stroboscopic Artefacts' Monad series has made a point of steering things away from the beaten path. For some of its murkier artists—inclduing Our Circula Sound's Positive Centre and Zeitgeber, the union of label chief Lucy and Speedy J—it has provided a springboard to delve deeper into techno's recesses. Others have seized the opportunity to be liberal with their ideas about sound and form, without straying too far away from the dance floor. In essence, it's been a difficult series to predict, though rarely disappointing. Ken Karter's first installment, Monad XXI, might be the greatest yet.
If you've been following the Italian native, you'll know he has a thing for numbers. Using his own Kript Records as a base, he's spent the last few years translating mathematical codes into musical sequences, occasionally with challenging results. For the most part, he makes rhythmically focused techno, at once subtle and powerful. And it's these characteristics that exquisitely come to the fore of Monad XXI. Each track is almost tribal in its hypnotic, hallucinogenic capabilities. "MX-02.11" is especially ritualistic; it's impossible to keep from zoning out and losing track of time altogether on "MX-03.11." The whole record casts a dark spell with heady drones, intricate drum patterns and an eerie sense of poise.
TracklistA1 MX-01.11
A2 MX-02.11
B1 MX-03.11
B2 MX-04.11