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Inspiration & Album Description

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The title Daughter of Data loosely refers to the biography of Hypatia of Alexandria (370–415 C.E.), a figure often regarded as a symbol of the pursuit of understanding both the earthly and cosmic realms through measurement, observation, and the translation of data.

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MONOMONO drew inspiration from Hypatia as one of the earliest female scientists whose life and work were widely documented by her contemporaries. Her philosophical yet rigorously scientific approach, her role as a teacher, her use of the astrolabium as an innovative instrument for mapping the stars, and her tragic confrontation with religious fanaticism reveal striking parallels with aspects of our present time.

As a keeper of knowledge—a “daughter of data”—Hypatia becomes a figure through which MONOMONO reflects on the current age of digital information and misinformation. The album proposes a renewed need for such “daughters of data” today: individuals who navigate, interpret, and safeguard knowledge in an increasingly complex informational landscape.

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Musically, Daughter of Data translates this inspiration into a sonic world that evokes both awe and overwhelm in the face of expanding human knowledge—from astronomy and natural sciences to the speculative futures and destructive potentials embedded within them. The album builds a richly layered sound palette, combining acoustic instruments (violin, ancient Greek lyre, ceramic marimba, and flute) with gradually emerging synthesized textures. These elements expand the sonic universe into something increasingly digital, yet remain structured in a way that feels scientific, abstract, and ordered within chaos.

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As the album progresses, the tempo gradually increases, heightening intensity and mirroring a rising heartbeat. This progression creates an embodied listening experience, where tactile sound textures and mechanized samples guide both intuition and physical response. The result is a dual sensation: grounded and earthly, yet simultaneously expansive and cosmic.

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Lyrics appear only sparingly throughout the album. When present, they function less as narrative and more as fragments of thought—like readings of maps or star charts, or a scientist thinking aloud. This sparse textual approach reinforces the sense of scientific abstraction and digital translation.

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Track Concept

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The album contains twelve tracks, corresponding to the twelve zodiac signs. Each track is treated as a “stellar character,” with its own sonic identity, tempo, and atmosphere.

Track titles reference scientific figures and concepts such as Vera Rubin (Mother of Dark Matter), whose work on galaxy rotation rates reshaped our understanding of the universe, and Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin (Stellar Atmospheres), whose research on stellar composition became foundational to modern astrophysics. Other titles refer to scientific instruments such as the astrolabium, used historically by Hypatia for astronomical measurement.

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Tracklist

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A Side
A1 Stellar Atmospheres
A2 Ceramics
A3 Hypatia
A4 Astrolabium
A5 Luminaries
A6 String Theory

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B Side
B1 Chain Grid
B2 Interconnection
B3 Starsplitter
B4 Mother of Dark Matter
B5 Daughter of Data
B6 200+ Moons

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Credits

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Composed, performed & produced by MONOMONO (Anne van de Star & Hester Bolle / Hester-1)
Instruments and sounds (violin, flute, ancient lyre) by MONOMONO
Ceramic marimba by Michiel De Malsche
Harp by Laura De Jongh
Mixing by Brecht Plasschaert (Studio Beertje)
Additional mixing by Aram Abgaryan
Mastering by Frederik Brandt Jakobsen
Design and artwork by Weltraumgrafik Berlin / Phil Schöll

Copyright MONOMONO
Published by Rotkat Records
Printed by dunk!pressing

Vinyl and online artwork by Weltraumgrafik – Phil Schöll

With the support of Flanders State of the Art / Made in Europe

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