Review Summary: Logistical Perfection
Browse. Order. Process. Dispatch. Receive. Something we all take for granted in the modern world is the efficiency of finely-tuned logistics.
Studio is the soundtrack to exactly that. The scene is set at a silent disco in a UPS distribution warehouse. Cranes lifting shipping containers, hi-viz clad operatives yanking lorry shutters down before they pull away into the dark, lonely night. Robert Henke a.k.a. Monolake transports you into the fragile mind of the night shift haulage driver: a mind haunted by isolation and plagued by the after effects of yesterday’s hallucinogens, providing just enough paranoia to make the idea of losing to the Sat Nav completely unnerving. Robotic in sound but human in nature, this metaphor does not represent a new direction for Henke and could be applied to his recordings as far back as
Hongkong. Although firmly grounded by his own minimal/ambient techno roots,
Studio shows Henke wandering into territories only hinted at in his previous material. While throwback tracks “The Elders Disagree” and “Stasis Field” would slot in perfectly in the ice-cold world of
Gravity, the zany “Cute Little Aliens” takes us on a vibrantly psychedelic trip, adding a completely fresh element to his sound. Never before has he conveyed a sense of tension and unease quite like bangers “Thru Stalactites” and “Signals” nor has he given off a sound as menacing as the string arrangements overlying the irregular thudding bass of “Global Transport”. “Intermezzo” shows his furthest stylistic divergence with blissful synth pads interweaving to create a gorgeous album intermission that could exist as comfortably within a 70s progressive rock epic as it could amongst the most ambient leanings of mid 2010s Autechre. Henke already enjoys status as a world-class sound engineer with an unmatched ability for producing pristine and intricate techno. The appropriately named
Studio acts as testament to that, proving that he continues to create fascinating and absorbing music with aplomb. Monolake doesn’t provide logistics but if it did... it’d probably be the best service in the world.
