Monolink has a new album out titled Under Darkening Skies. It contains 12 melodic tracks that showcase his unique music style. Taking different aspects of modern sound culture and turning it into a narrative, the album is a journey. Its sound is unlike most electronic dance music tempos. He utilizes emotional vocal parts, hypnotic bass vibrations, and synthetic pad sounds for a compendium of music.
‘Laura‘ opens up the compilation with an ambient intro. Once the first verse cuts in, the electric guitar riffs roll in giving us Bob Moses vibes. Soft vocals echo and resonate in the background with the melody. This is a great road trip song to zen out. ‘The Prey‘ is piano-centric accompanied by unique vocals for a smooth ride, and a story of seduction. ‘We Don’t Sleep‘ is another guitar-centric piece with piano chords progressing in its background. The melody gives off western desert vibes, making it one catchy song. ‘Harlem River‘ starts off with Portugal the Man Vibes from the piano, but then the piano keys explore different chords as the vocals sing. ‘Into The Glow‘, ‘Otherside‘, ‘Falling‘, and the rest of the tracks utilize warped analog synthesizers and a downtempo beat to create sonic exploration. As a project based on his self, Monolink doesn’t disappoint.
Each one of these tracks plays into a story, whether it be using each other, projection, realization, or waking up from a dream. The vocals sing and perfectly personify what the message is. You can see his multi-instrumentalism at work in this entire compilation. There is a perfect amount of melancholic timbre and beautiful harmony in all his pieces. With deep roots in guitar-focused musical background, Steffen Linck remains one of the most intriguing melodic techno producers out there.
Listen to his new album below.