Antoine Pasqualini, better known as Monolithe Noir, is a Belguim-based producer and sound artist. Cutting his teeth involved with pop bands, and participating in various musical projects, the young musician eventually discarded old composition habits and traditional instruments in favour of modular synthesis, to create his own idiosyncratic soundscape – melodies and drumming incorporating elements of drone and ambient.
After releasing two EP’s on Berlin-based label KODX, Monolithe Noir released his first LP Le Son Grave on Belgian label Luik Records in March 2017, and has been booked for the prestigious Eurosonic Festival in 2018.
We chatted to him about his influences and the equipment he uses to create his unique sound
To those not familiar with you, how would you describe your sound?
It sounds like a music you’d listen to during a quiet apocalypse.
What are the 5 albums that have influenced you the most?
James Holden ‘The Inheritors’
The Beatles ‘White Album’
Eliane Radigue ‘Trilogie de la mort’
Fugazi ‘Red Medecine’
Radiohead ‘Kid A’
What techniques do you experiment with to form your sound?
I use from the cheapest to the most expensive synth I can afford – no matter if they are in good shape or not. I blend them, I disguise them with digital stuff. I also do the opposite thing. Sometimes I sample stuff. Then at some point I try to figure things out during my insomnia or walking hours.
Are there any key pieces of equipment that you can’t live without?
My computer. It’s the brain, the sequencer, the memory, the musical director.
What are some of your key influences in your music? Whether it be the sound created by others, imagery, films or any kind of art form.
Movies are very important to me because my music is instrumental. I have to feed myself with images and words to stick everything together.
Jean Michel Jarre said “Music is the human treatment of sounds.” How do you interpret this?
We created tools that make sound. We created means to write it down and read it and make these sound exist again. But now we’d better say that the human ear has the power to consider every surrounding sound as music without other action than listening to it or recording it. Listening to sounds is already a human treatment of sounds.
What has been a memorable highlight in your career so far?
The first time I was able to make my modular and digital system work together properly.
If you could work with, or perform alongside any artist of your choice, who would it be?
Moondog
If you weren’t a musician what would you be?
A sound engineer
What can we expect from you in the near future? Any upcoming projects or gigs in the pipeline that you would like to tell us about?
I have gigs planned in France, Belgium and Netherlands in 2018. I’m also working on what would be my first “real” album (the previous one was more a kind of compilation of works) featuring really nice collaborations.
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