Downloadcode. Following the 20th anniversary „Monika Werkstatt“ album which features collaborations from all of the current artists on Moabit and monika, Gudrun Gut's monika enterprise now takes the collaborative process a step further with a collection of remixes taken from the werkstatt album. The opening track on the single is a truly Nordic co-production with Charlotte Bendiks from Troms?, Norway, remixing Finnish artist based in Berlin Islaja. Islaja's tracks are ever shrouded in a bizarre sense of mystery and Bendiks remix of Sappho's Gifts accentuates the surreal essence of this piece. Blindholes by Columbian-artist-in-Berlin Lucrecia Dalt was the first track from the Monika Werkstatt album to be released as a preview and Romanian producer and DJ Borusiade harnesses its groove turning it into a hypnotic industrial stomper. The B-side starts with LA producer Nite Jewel's utterly funky take on Barbara Morgenstern's song Grow. Suitably for Morgenstern, Nite Jewel turns this tune into next level pop including disco cowbells and the grooviest of synth licks. A feelgood track if ever there was one – ideal for house parties, or just dancing round the house on your own! London-born, Berlin-based artist Perera Elsewhere (signed to FoF music in Los Angeles) a.k.a Sasha Perera (ex-Jahcoozi/ Bpitch Ctrl/ Kitty Yo) develops Love Parade founder Danielle de Picciotto's Desert Fruit into a doom-drenched piece of beat poetry layered with rich synth textures, emotionality and Morricone-esque melodics. Closing the 12” is another Los Angeles producer, Daedelus (Brainfeeder/ Anticon), who's take on Sonae's Between Two Worlds is a luscious retro-futurist synth escapade traversing the fields of wonky, dreamwave and chill-out. The Berlin-Los Angeles connection is a much loved theme for the monika label. This 12” draws on that theme by recruiting Djs and producers based in both cities to remix tracks from „Monika Werkstatt“. In so doing it takes the collaborations started on Werkstatt to the next level. It's a truly international affair, bringing yet more diversity to already very diverse source material. (Dirk Markham)
