Monoton (Konrad Becker)

Alias:

Gender: Male

Country: Austria

Description: The man behind this solo project is Konrad BECKER, a renowned Austrian researcher and theoretician of new technologies and electronic mass media, audiovisual artist, and a composer of minimal electronic music and experimental post-industrial music operating since 1979. His para- scientific activities in the field of music have been pursued through another solo project of his called INSTITUT FU?R WISSENSCHAFTLICHE SENSATION. Inspired by the works of KRAFTWERK and ritual and shamanistic ethnic music, he went on to compose highly original music, featuring an oneiric atmosphere underscored with sparingly arranged psychoactive pulsations and sparse, hypnotic spoken vocal lines. He aimed to marry the sterile and dehumanised sound of electronic instruments with primordial human desires, not stifled by the civilisation of technology by means of applying ritual music into the framework of contemporary trends of popular music. Early on, he employed a drum machine, cheap guitar multi-effect units, a monophonic synthesizer, violin, and a plastic barrel. With time he expanded that set with more electronic instruments and digital devices (including computers with specialist software) used for noise generation. For his live performances, held in specific locations of the urban environ- ment, he used a multi-channel system for film, video, slide and image screening. In 1994, following a series of performance art shows and expe- rimental techno music concerts organised with a Dutch music producer Danie?l LEEFLAND, he suspended MONOTON and went on to focus on his science and research work on relations of digital technologies with the development of contemporary culture. Selected discography: Blau - Monotonprodukt 02 26y++ (Oral 1980) CD Neujahrskonferenz 8081 (Monoton 1981) tape Monotonprodukt 07 20y ++ (Oral 1982) CD Monotonprodukt MCMLXXXIX 20y++ (Oral 1989) CD