
Monaberry 30
www.monaberry.de

Vinyl - tinyurl.com/jz3cflt
Digital - tinyurl.com/zn6uwtb

Herbert: Monaberry’s totem old timer, Super Flu’s dear old Opa, house music’s favourite septuagenarian and all round legend returns…

It’s been a while since he last curated a Monaberry collection (his hearing aid kaput throughout 2015)The last time being summer 2014 with Monaberry’s now-vintage ’25 Years Monaberry’ collection. But now he’s dusted off his curating cap, gently leant his walking stick against the wall, shouted “what?” a lot of times, moaned about his clicky knees, yearned for the good old days and, finally, put together one of the Halle-based label’s most beautiful collections to date.

Fresh out of the care home, Herb’s first pick – Super Flu & Viktor Talking Machine’s ‘Plastik’ – leads with the gusto of a man a third of his age: a twinkling arpeggio gazes up to clear night skies building in momentum with the beats and a pulsating bassline. Laced with a dramatic breakdown, you’d be advised to stash this one for the next festival marathon.

The melodic tech textures continue as Herb welcomes Boston’s Robot Love to the Monaberry fold with the touching slice of anthemia that is ‘Numbers Station’. A clipped hook gently persists with chiselled insistency. Timeless and driving, Herb tells us he picked it because it’s great to walk around the supermarket really really slowly to. We love it because it will take your dancefloor to a whole new level. Last spotted on ’25 Years Monaberry’, fellow Halle hero Martin Waslewski returns with a wistful piano-primed stroller that sees Herb striding gently but confidently towards a destination unknown (probably the chemist to
get his meds). No walking stick required. Monaberry mainstays Hanne & Lore take old Herb (or Herbie to those in the know) out to the choppy tech seas late at night, sharpen up their finest synth hook and reel in a big one. Like all fresh produce, ‘Tuna In’ is crisp to the taste and will satiate the hungriest of dancefloors. Having previously remixed Super Flu, Dortmunder Philhamoniker and Philipp Armbruster’s ‘Volkwein’, Bebetta returns to Monaberry with her label debut; an ageless groove powered by soft chord changes, mild jazz
textures and faraway crackles, it’s Herbert’s favourite for fireside chats. Finally, Parra For Cuva brings us to a touching finale. Just in time for Herb’s afternoon nap, ‘Borneo’ is awash with dreamy lilts, lingering instrumentation and positive chords. All brought together by shimmering guitar strums and cosmic ripples, listen closely and you can hear Herb smoke-belching in sync with the splashing cymbals.

Respect your elders, respect the grooves, respect one another: 2016 is about to commence and Herbie’s picked the winning soundtrack to break it in.


Numbers Station (Monaberry #30)

The Emergency Ensemble is focused on bringing you a mix of jazz, electronica and downtempo music.