Following the release of his highly anticipated debut album What About Love, MONKyMAN is stepping into a defining moment of his artistic evolution. The Berlin-based, Stuttgart-born producer and performer has already built an impressive global footprint: from racking up over 3.2 million Spotify streams to electrifying audiences across South Africa, New York, Thailand, Tunisia, Egypt, Jordan, Norway, Denmark, and Paris. His festival appearances at Fusion Festival and Apple Tree Garden Festival, where he was on the same bill as the likes of ARTBAT, Monolink, and Biig Piig, have cemented him as one of electronic music’s most compelling emerging voices. Blending soulful atmospherics, jazzy textures, and Afro-inflected rhythms, What About Love is both expansive and intimate. We caught up with MONKyMAN to talk about the making of the album, his roots in Namibia, and his the album’s lead single, ‘Hambelela’, which premiered on Electronic Groove.
Read our exclusive interview with MONKyMAN and stream What About Love below.
Paint us a picture: what sparked your passion for the arts in the first place? Was there a single moment or experience that solidified your decision to pursue this path?
It started with a little camcorder when I was 9 years old. My brothers and I would film everything. We would imitate our favorite rapper music videos and edit them ourselves. When I taught myself music production at 14, it all came together. Since then I have had the need to write music. It’s not even a choice somehow.
When you create, what leads the way – a feeling, a story, or the sound itself?
It can be anything. Inspiration is everywhere. Mostly through a thought or feeling which I give space to unfold under my professional supervision as an artist. I type in my phone everywhere I go. In the studio I make music. At some point I weave the two together.
What’s in your toolkit? Share the gear, gadgets, or software you can’t create without.
I like to produce music with old and unstable gear. I like when things happen that I can’t control. So I use old synths: Doepfer MS 404, Farfisa Organ, Hohner Pianet (West German e-pianos), Leslie Amps and amps in general. I love percussion and skinned drums, congas, bongos, djembes. Also, I love me some good shakers. I mostly make music with analog gear and a mixing console in the studio (the old-school way), but here and there I will make some demos in Ableton Live or Reason 12 using some plugins.
What’s your go-to ritual or trick for getting into the creative zone?
I don’t have to trick myself into it. I am always there. It is way harder to leave than to enter the “creative zone”.
What’s the one item you always keep within arm’s reach while creating or performing?
It’s my Doepfer MS 404 module. Simple but I can rely on it 100%. Also my ZEN DELAY has become quite important.
How did you ultimately end up defining your sound?
I want it to sound warm and soothing. Inviting, welcoming and grounding. Like sunbeams through forest leaves or orange sunsets/sunrises over ancient mountains. A message of hope is always present. My voice, lyrics and the solos I play on the Doepfer synth shape my authentic sound. Using fewer instruments and getting the most out of the little gear I had helped me to shape the sound that has now become original to me.
How has your creative process or perspective shifted since you started your journey?
I am always searching for my place in music and with that for new ways to be creative. I started with hip hop and rap. In my early 20s I made German pop music. After moving to Berlin I started to create dance music, mostly instrumental. And these days I am combining all of these musical pockets into something fresh that I like. I can also say that I started off with 100% computer (software) productions as a teenager and now moved to creating music fully analog (hardware) in studio environments.
Walk us through a recording session: what’s the most memorable moment you’ve had in the studio?
When I recorded the backing vocals for ‘Celebration’, there were a few singers involved. One of them was just hanging out on the sofa while his sister was recording her vocals for ‘Hambelela’. When we were done, I showed him the beginning of ‘Celebration’ and told him to put on the headphones and just improvise. With his eyes closed, he started singing “mama”. I had goosebumps because I knew this 16-year-old kid was thinking of his mother back in Namibia. It was beautiful. But the craziest thing was that he didn’t even know that this was the topic of the song and that later on in the song he would hear me singing “mama”. He intuitively absorbed the message of the music with his heart and made place for the words/feelings to come out. It was magic. We took that first take for the song. You can hear him humming in the beginning when you listen closely.
Are there any unexpected or dream collaborations hidden in your work?
Not really.
Any side projects you’re working on?
Yes, I have two more active side projects. One of them is my German hip hop alter ego Abu Neo (meaning: The Father of Neo (my son)). The other one is a Ghetto House duo with my friend Drew Deal called SONTAG.
Who’s an emerging artist you think deserves more recognition right now?
Mk.gee, Ibaaku.
What’s the strangest or most surprising song currently on your playlist?
Omar Souleyman – ‘Warni Warni’ 🙂
Which song, album or playlist do you never get sick of no matter how many times you listen to it?
Aphex Twin – Selected Ambient Works 85–92.
Are there any unexpected hobbies or projects you’re exploring outside of your main work?
Besides working as a producer and mixing engineer (for myself and others), I’m currently mostly enjoying being a new father. I also play around with graphic design, event management, and videography.
If your life and career were an album, what would its title be, and what’s the hidden track only your fans would know?
Album Title: Let it is what it be. Song: ‘Truth’.
Give us a glimpse into the future – what surprises or milestones are coming up for you this year?
Playing live shows with a full band setup is a dream come true this year, and I hope to have more bookings in the future. Designing and creating my own merch with my wife.
Famous last words?
Let the music talk.
Follow MONKyMAN:
Instagram – Facebook – Soundcloud – Youtube – Spotify
