MONOLAKE - TONIC, 1.13.05

I mentioned yesterday that I might be behind the curve with Monolake - for the record, I was definitely behind the curve. It had been two and a half years since I last saw him, and Robert Henke's sound has changed quite a bit - still excellent, just different. His beats and rhythms, once swimming in washes of sound, are now anchored by a dancefloor thump. You can tell it's coming from the same place, just with different elements.

Laptop performances can easily fall flat - how do you know they're not just playing Minesweeper? - but with Monolake, it's surprisingly obvious that he is playing live. Most of Henke's attention was focused on his sampler/mixing board, and you could see (and hear) him twisting and tweaking the sounds live. He'd take what sounded like a single beat and let you know it was actually three by pulling two back. Or he'd double the melody back onto itself, or bounce it between speakers. The music kept you guessing, and to great effect.

Monolake's upcoming album is supposed to be dancier than usual for him, so I have to assume it dominated last night's setlist. I'm pretty curious to hear the studio versions - live, it was some of the more interesting electronic music I've heard in a while. And that midnight start? Needless to say, the coffee was a lifeline this morning.

Non-NY'ers - he'll be in Detroit on Saturday, San Francisco on Monday, and LA next Friday. It might be another two years before he's back, so check him out if you're interested.