Inside Monotronic's Tribal Approach to Collaborative Songwriting with Ramsey Elkholy

Monotronic is an LA-based outfit that fluidly merges indie rock, pop, and indietronica influences into a cohesive, forward-thinking sound. Taking cues from acts like The Killers and Phoenix, the group layers in global influences to create an expansive and distinctive sonic identity.

Monotronic's sound can be likened to that of a seasoned traveler—restless, curious, and shaped by years on the road—returning to the energy of New York City after nearly a decade exploring places like Sumatra's dense jungles and India's colorful terrain. Imagine then that this intrepid traveler translates those experiences into music.

This captures Monotronic in a nutshell: difficult to define, stylistically fluid, yet anchored by a singular creative direction.

Leading the project is Ramsey Elkholy, an anthropologist, composer, and producer whose international background informs much of the band's output. Now based in Los Angeles, Monotronic has built a reputation for originality since emerging in 2019 with its blend of groove-driven rhythms, refined musicianship, and thoughtful songwriting.

Before moving to LA, the group established a strong presence across New York City's live circuit. Performances at major venues and festivals, including Disc Jam, Meeting of the Minds, and MUSEXPO, cemented the group's burgeoning reputation.

Following the release of their 2019 self-titled album, Monotronic, the band attracted coverage from outlets including Rolling Stone, Billboard, Relix, LA Weekly, and Rock Cellar Magazine. Singles from its most recent release, Waiting for You, have already garnered the group significant attention among indie followers, and the album is already approaching 3 million streams.

A Collective Is Born

Ramsey Elkholy's path into music is anything but conventional. Before committing himself fully to music, he completed a PhD in Anthropology at the University of Manchester. His academic work took him deep into Sumatra, where he spent two years living with the Orang Rimba community, later transforming that research into the book, Being and Becoming.

Ramsey's journey also included a formal study of Indian classical music in Kolkata and three uninterrupted years of backpacking across Asia. He credits these experiences for reshaping his worldview and his approach to sound.

Elkholy's return to New York marked a significant turning point from academia to music. He subsequently founded, emphasizing collaboration over hierarchy from the outset. While he handles core songwriting—lyrics, arrangements, and guitar—he enlists a constantly shifting lineup of musicians from project to project, each contributing their own character to the material.

Over time, Monotronic's lineup has included high-profile collaborators such as Omar Hakim, known for work with David Bowie and Daft Punk, and bassist Mohini Dey, both of whom appear on the new album. The broader network of contributors has intersected with artists like Joe Jackson, Robert Randolph, The Spin Doctors, and Dweezil Zappa.

This revolving lineup of collaborators has resulted in a constantly evolving sound that nevertheless maintains a consistent identity. As Ramsey has described it, Monotronic operates as a unified musical system, with each instrument flowing into the next, forming a single, cohesive expression. This philosophy draws on the communal dynamics he observed in Sumatra and continues to guide the project's output.

Two Worlds Come Together

Waiting for You took shape over two years, beginning in 2024. Produced primarily in two contrasting environments: New York's East Village and Tulum, Mexico, the album demonstrates a unique geographic duality. Along with urban-informed tight structures and sharp hooks, it incorporates a more open, atmospheric sensibility shaped by coastal surroundings.

The eleven tracks themselves display a beguiling variety, effortlessly moving from indie rock to synth-pop and indietronica. This pleasing blend of influences has drawn comparisons to Phoenix, The Killers, and Tame Impala, although the band's distinctive identity remains apparent.

Unsurprisingly, the writing process varies from track to track. Some songs began as quick voice memos; others developed gradually from guitar ideas revisited over months. Sun Song is one example, built around a riff Elkholy played casually for months on end, until a lyric surfaced, shaping the composition. Its closing refrain, "waiting for you," ultimately inspired the album's title.

Two standout tracks highlight the album's range. Looking Away opens with bright, accessible indie pop layered over shimmering guitar textures, making it ideally suited for travel playlists. In contrast, Kettle Song (Yama Yama) proudly bears global rhythmic influences, reflecting the world-music elements that define Monotronic's edge. Together, they illustrate the project's ability to move between light, melodic moments and more intricate, rhythm-driven arrangements.

Music Comes to Life in Images

Ramsey also oversees the project's visual dimension, directing and producing every music video. This hands-on approach—uncommon within indie circles—further enhances the project's cohesion.

The video for Looking Away was filmed in Joshua Tree, centered around a vintage 1969 Buick Skylark convertible, while Everything Moves unfolds within the staged intensity of an escape room, drawing stylistic influence from Quentin Tarantino and the film A Clockwork Orange.

Ramsey Elkholy's creative approach seems to have paid off. Four consecutive releases —Kids of Summer, Sun Song, Looking Away, and Everything Moves—each debuted at number one on VEVO's curated playlists. In line with the creative vision of Monotronic's founder, each visual release is a distinctive work of art, almost a standalone short film rather than a promotional vehicle. Monotronic has a bright future indeed!