ITW : 18:18 [Monovsn & Lawrence Kurt]

18:18 is the new chapter born from the artistic collaboration of Lawrence Kurt and Monovsn. The two Berlin based artists mark the first release on their own imprint with “Horizon EP». Six techno cuts ranging from the dark and the eclectic side of the artists. Raw aesthetics, groovy patterns and hunting melodies perfectly describe the release.

How did you guys first meet? 
First of all, thank you for the invite. We met in Berlin in 2014 during our first years living in the city and through music our friendship got consolidated.

What were your first experiences and junctures with electronic music?
We both started djing in our hometowns in teenage years and developed our passion for electronic music culture and music production. Eventually we both moved in the same city as we felt that here we could expand our knowledge.

How would you describe « your » sound and what are your main influences?
Our individual sound-signature and influences are slightly different and so combinining them, we can play with a wide range of styles. Groove, hypnotic rhythms, driving atmospheres and sharp synthlines are some of the elements you can expect in our sets/productions.

Can you tell us more about your new project 18:18?
We released “Horizon” in November 2021 on our own imprint. The EP was a result of many hours spent in the studio during the pandemic lockdowns of 2020. We thought about opening a new alias project together for quite some time and we had the feeling it was the right moment for it.
Everything felt just spontaneous.

Did you collaborate in other ways before 18:18?
We’ve been making music together and sharing the studio since many years now, generally we always helped each other when it came to music production and not only. In 2019 we released the first vinyl on OECUS label as “Lawrence Kurt & Monovsn” which had a good impact on the scene and motivated us to push further our collaboration.

We both nourish our values and it requires a lot of work in terms of honesty, respect and trust.

And what did you learn from one another both personally and professionally?
There would be a lot to say on this. The truth is that our collaboration has a solid friendship behind it. That means, we both nourish our values and it requires a lot of work in terms of honesty, respect and trust. Professionally, we have been trough a lot of experiences during these years such as events management, bookings, gigs and burocrative tasks.

Where does the name 18:18 come from?
We have a secret connection with this number. 😉

Tell us a little bit about how you work together. What is your process like when you start making music together?
Our workflow obviously changed and developed a lot trough the years and still nowadays. At the moment we like to start creating ideas live in the studio, essentially having fun with the machines. After that, we capture the moment by recording the elements of the live session, to keep the real tension and transmit it into the arrangement. The second session is about processing and sharping the sounds; afterwards, we work on the final mixdown.

Let’s chat about your studio setup. What does it consist of?
Our setup consist of analog hardwares recorded via multitrack into Ableton Live. The main equipment is:

Outgears:
Scarlett 18i20 audio interface – Arturia Beatstep – Elektron Analog Heat – Eventide H9 Harmonizer

Synths:
Elektron Analog Rytm – Korg Minilogue XD – Nord Rack 2 – Waldorf Blofeld – Syncussion SY-1 – Roland JV1080 – Roland MC-303

Software:
Ableton Live – Arturia Bundle – Komplete NI – Various vst’s for processing (D16, FabFilter, Soundtoys, Waves and others)

Do you have a favorite piece of gear that tends to form the basis of your setup?
If we have to pick one – Elektron Analog Rytm

Can you tell us what plans you have for the next months ?
We are planning the second EP which will be released soon this year.
For the future, we are thinkINg about performing live.
The first EP of 18:18 is available on Bandcamp, click here