Interview with Jonas Munk a.k.a Manual in Echoes Podcast
In the early 2000’s a new sound in electronic music emerged. It mixed German Space and Progressive Rock, with Shoegaze guitar and contemporary Electronica. Two of the leading lights in this sound were Manual and Ulrich Schnauss. Manual is Danish musician Jonas Munk and he’s carved a unique path into modern electronic space. He’s released several albums ranging from drone zone spaces to anthemic electronic flights.
Just nudging into his 30s, Munk’s musical sources come from a time before he was born. He cites German electronic music like Cluster and Kraftwerk.
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“In German electronic music from the ’70s, there was a more organic vibe present,” enthuses Munk, speaking from his home in Denmark. “Cosmic is a bit overused, but there was involvement with nature somehow, which I kind of liked. There was also a very warm feeling in a lot of those recordings by Harmonia, Cluster or early Kraftwerk and all their stuff. It’s very, very warm and organic sounding, which is something that always turns me on.”
Ulrich Schnauss & Jonas Munk
Jonas Munk merges that sound with the Shoegaze style of Rock that spawned in the 1980s with groups like Slowdive, My Bloody Valentine and especially, the Cocteau Twins with guitarist Robin Guthrie. As a guitarist himself, Munk gravitated towards the ringing, layered and reverb drench sound of these groups.
“Especially around that time,” he explains. “Ascend, Lost Days, Azure Vista [Manual albums], all the stuff that was composed between 2002 and 2006, 07, 08’ish, it’s very inspired by Robin Guthrie’s guitar work, but also the Cocteau Twins productions.
He’d go on to collaborate with Robin Guthrie and cover a song by Slowdive called “Blue Skied An’ Clear.”
Hear more of Jonas Munk’s interview on the Echoes Podcast.
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John Diliberto
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