Tomas Hallonsten - Monolog [Thanatosis Produktion 020]

Released via Thanatosis Produktion on January 27th, 2k23 is "Monolog", the solo debut album effort conceived by Swedish musician Tomas Hallonsten. With six new pieces rolled out over 41 minutes and some presumably Krautrock-infused titles like "Go Ashram Go", "Düsseldorf - Douala" or "Earth" the artist focuses on a combination of drum machines and synthesizers to create a sonic sphere informed as well as influenced by the pioneers of early electronic music, meticulously created via the process of overdubbing layers and layers over the course of the pandemic years. Starting with the aforementioned "Go Ashram Go" Tomas Hallonsten opens his debut with a slow, dubbed out and vintage harmonic amalgamation of Easy Listening, Space Jazz and cliche Asian fragments for Ambient x ChillOut dancefloors followed by the extended two-parter "In Clouds, Pt. I & Pt. II" which indulges in well kitsch-infused arrangements and echoes of 80s Library x Production Music for those who know. With "Düsseldorf - Douala" we're drawn into a krautsy, meandering and well romantic realm driven by stripped down percussions and touching emotional piano etudes, "Earth" provides feverish, dramatic Downbeat x EthnoDub vibes and therefore turns out to be our favorite cut on this album and the subsequent closing piece that is "Vals Antifon" drifts of into relatively peaceful, yet Psychedelia-infused Easy Listening vibes once again. A well unusual release for Thanatosis Produktion considering the labels darker and more minimalist back catalogue, this.

Album artwork on Instagram!