Audiopile Review: In 1990s Berlin, Robert Henke, the main dude behind Monolake, was known as the techie of the techno scene. Emerging from the Basic Channel-sponsored dub techno clique, Henke initially made music that was simple in structure but deeply complex in texture. Given his techie proclivities, it’s no surprise that Monolake ended up releasing some of the most important albums in the IDM canon. And perhaps even less surprise that Henke was one of the founders of all-conquering music software company Ableton. His new album, ‘Studio’, builds on the mature Monolake sound he established with 2009’s career best ‘Silence’. But where that album traded in moody soundscapes and concrète textures, ‘Studio’ is distinctly unafraid to get busy with the beats. Henke’s peerless sound design is paired with itchy, kinetic percussion, and the results will make any Monolake fan extremely happy.

Double LP version.Monolake: “My studio is my shelter, I feel comfortable there, surrounded by wonderful inspiring machines. A small cozy room where ideas emerge, mature, morph, and solidify into their final shape. Studio is the result of spending time in that space. The album’s intention is simple: Presenting a beautiful personal musical journey. The creative process in itself matters to me, the interaction with my instruments, the accidental discoveries, the successful execution of a vision and anything in between. Most of the tracks on this album got revised countless times, and then even more, once I knew in which context and order I wanted to arrange them. I have been living with my music for months now, listening, thinking, changing, diving deeper and deeper into each piece. I love albums, they are a beautiful long-form format where each part has its place, a journey from the start till the end. Each piece has its own story, its own flavor and history. Some of them have been with me since a while already. There is material which I created years ago for installations and music derived from previous audiovisual works, all completely ripped apart and rearranged multiple times. During their creation my pieces often turn into something completely different, they repeatedly shift from one state to another until they become solid. What I consider a core element at the beginning might be later discarded completely, and a little detail in the background might become the essence. Many explorations ended in the trash bin before the results had a chance to be part of Studio. Things did not fall into place, did not feel right. Other compositions had to fill the void instead, some created quickly in a rush of inspiration, some slowly, shy, questioning their significance. This album did not come into existence in a hurry, it took as long as it needed. I used the time to walk around my creations, to listen to them from the distance, physically, mentally, with friends, in all kinds of different contexts. I tried to understand what I just did. I started to see patterns, hidden motifs, things that were buried in between too many layers of sound. What is essential? What is ornament? I reduced, rearranged, added again. The closer I got to the final state of Studio the more clarity I found…” Composed, mixed and produced by Robert Henke, 2024.