First of all, anyone already versed in Monomer’s work is in
for a bit of a shock; ‘Quite Operational’ is quite different from anything he’s
released in the past. Following the recent trend towards Drive-influenced 80s electro-house in chiptune, which was
further pushed by the popularity of Hotline Miami’s soundtrack and the output
of Telefuture, Monomer’s most recent opus is an 80s homage painted neon.
What sets this aside from previous retrospective exercises
in postmodernism is the depth at which the decade is explored. Not only is the aforementioned
electro-house delved into, but ‘On The Brink’ has flourishes of hair metal
melodies, and ‘Better Living Through Dysgenics’ features chordal tones that
wouldn’t be amiss on a Bowie record. These strands stand strong alongside the pulsating
bass and kicks of the rest of the release, creating a unified window into the
past.
Another noticeable difference from its contemporaries is
Monomer’s utilisation of tension and release. Album opener and title track ‘Quite
Operational’ hits hard when it does finally hit, and ‘Deletion’ blends
industrial tinges with a foreboding atmosphere, an atmosphere seen multiple times
on this release. Think Rolly Mingwald
but more menacing.
The album isn’t perfect though. The eight tracks here could
easily have been cut down to six; ‘The Glow and The Gleam’ flows by inoffensively
but also rather blandly, and final track ‘Discontinue’ flitters without aim and
ends up nowhere. In my opinion, the euphoric grandiose of ‘On The Brink’ would
have made a far more compelling album closing.
That said, this is still a great release. This foray into
cyberpunk and Miami-House (yeah that’s a genre I just made up) is a fantastic
one, in fact one of the best and most courageous yet. By mixing more than the
standard broth in an emerging subculture, Monomer will solidify himself as one
of its founders.
Grab it here for $5, or stream it for free.
Tracklist:
1. Quite Oprational
2. Temple
3. Better Living Through Dysgenics
4. The Glow And the Gleam
5. Night Drive
6. Deletion
7. On The Brink
8. Discontinue
