label: Proton Music
genre: techno, electronica
date: 19 May 2015

A rapidly rising star furnished with a gift for techno brilliance, Alexander Shtanoprud, has seen his Mondkrater production pseudonym shine brightly in the underground dance firmament, renewed now with his debut EP for Proton Music and the organic, "Mercury."

From the ancient city of Krakow with its culturally rich roots, the Mondkrater sound has been shaped through his work as part of the Mode B outfit. A regular on the Back Home and Visceral series, 2013's "Siebte" on Particles was a hugely impressive example of what was to follow as Alex took his Mondkrater name forwards into a bright new era.

Working in solo guise, the Mondkrater name has been allied to a number of high-calibre imprints. 2014 saw the stunning "Roter Planet" on Traumwelten and the "Siberia" EP for Klangwelt in January 2015 marked the start of a landmark year for the Pole having already seen his work reinterpreted by such luminaries as Microtrauma.. His work supported by Stephan Bodzin, Dominik Eulberg and Ryan Davis, it is not difficult to understand the frisson of anticipation surrounding Mondkrater's work.

A Proton Music career that opened with a highly successful remix of Silinder's "Last Light" in March 2015 is now brought into sharp focus with the imaginative and conceptual, "Mercury" EP.

Opening with the title track itself, "Mercury" is an elegant example of melodic techno at its finest. A fluid, melodic phrasing twinkles in rich delays as a growling analogue bass provides depth and emotion. Sitting above a dominant kick and subtle percussive flow that rises in urgency with hi-hat precision, a crystalline lead motif pierces the sonic spectrum with its distinctive analogue character.

Partner track "Baryon" continues the subtle melodic flow of its predecessor backed by a stable of techno beats that keep the character of the EP in unity. A cleverly evolving bass motif provides the basis for harmonious elements to rise and fall as urgency is created with sinister undertones and a driving nature. Modulating synth lines ripple and swell with consummate ease as "Baryon" creates an impression Marc Romboy and Robert Babicz would be proud of.

In quicksilver fashion, Mondkrater has split "Mercury" into twin tracks of extraordinary shining quality.

Mondkrater - Mercury

Everyone is a moon and has a dark side which he never shows to anybody (Mark Twain)

Inspired by the German electronic dance music scene, the Ukrainian born artist has continually impressed since debut work for Ideological in early 2013. Before that, he found success with the Mode B pseudonym and releases on Mango Alley, Particles and Ryan Davis' Back Home & Klangwelt. Using the Mondkrater alias to represent a new sound, the name perfectly represented his specific and unique brand of "soul-floated melodic electronic dance music". 

Mondkrater, from German means "lunar crater", a term that best describes his feelings, the mood of his tracks, and depth of his sound.