Manual (or Jonas Munk) is the performing name of electronic musician Jonas Munk Jensen, (born 1981 or 1982), from

Odense Odense ( , , ) is the third largest city in Denmark (after Copenhagen and Aarhus) and the largest city on the island of Funen. As of 1 January 2025, the city proper had a population of 185,480 while Odense Municipality had a population of 210, ...

Denmark Denmark is a Nordic countries, Nordic country in Northern Europe. It is the metropole and most populous constituent of the Kingdom of Denmark,, . also known as the Danish Realm, a constitutionally unitary state that includes the Autonomous a ...

. He makes music in the style of ambient

psychedelic rock Psychedelic rock is a rock music Music genre, genre that is inspired, influenced, or representative of psychedelia, psychedelic culture, which is centered on perception-altering hallucinogenic drugs. The music incorporated new electronic sound ...

dream pop Dream pop (also typeset as dreampop) is a subgenre of alternative rock and neo-psychedelia that emphasizes atmosphere and sonic texture as much as pop melody. Common characteristics include breathy vocals, dense productions, and effects such ...

and indietronica. His sound tends to contain a mix of software synthesizers, guitars (sometimes sampled or heavily processed), and various digital signal processing effects. Mixing elements of IDM,

glitch A glitch is a short-lived technical fault, such as a transient one that corrects itself, making it difficult to troubleshoot. The term is particularly common in the computing and electronics industries, in circuit bending, as well as among pl ...

, and indie music, Manual is compared to artists ranging from IDM artists, such as Boards of Canada, as well as shoegazer groups like Blonde Redhead. Munk's output as Manual is strongly associated with the aesthetic of Morr Music, the label that released his first two albums. He also is featured on the Morr Music compilation ''Blue Skied an' Clear'', which was a Slowdive

tribute A tribute (; from Latin ''tributum'', "contribution") is wealth, often in kind, that a party gives to another as a sign of submission, allegiance or respect. Various ancient states exacted tribute from the rulers of lands which the state con ...

. In 2004 he joined the American label Darla. Simultaneously, Munk started a psychedelic band called Causa Sui, and they released their self-titled debut album in December 2005. He composed the soundtrack for the 2012 Danish-American road trip film ''Searching for Bill''.

Influences

In an interview with

Pitchforkmedia ''Pitchfork'' (formerly ''Pitchfork Media'') is an American online music magazine founded in 1996 by Ryan Schreiber in Minneapolis. It originally covered alternative and independent music, and expanded to cover genres including pop, hip-hop, ...

, Munk mentions some of his sources of musical inspiration. They include:

Talk Talk Talk Talk were an English band formed in 1981 by Mark Hollis (vocals, guitar, piano), Lee Harris (drums), Paul Webb (bass), and Simon Brenner (keyboards). Initially a synth-pop group, Talk Talk's first two albums, '' The Party's Over'' (198 ...

, Simple Minds,

Japan Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...

David Sylvian David Sylvian (born David Alan Batt; 23 February 1958) is an English musician, singer and songwriter who came to prominence in the late 1970s as frontman and principal songwriter of the band Japan (band), Japan. During his time in Japan, Sylvia ...

Brian Eno Brian Peter George Jean-Baptiste de la Salle Eno (, born 15 May 1948), also mononymously known as Eno, is an English musician, songwriter, record producer, visual artist, and activist. He is best known for his pioneering contributions to ambien ...

Cocteau Twins Cocteau Twins were a Scottish rock music, rock band active from 1979 to 1997. They were formed in Grangemouth on the Firth of Forth by Robin Guthrie (guitars, drum machine) and Will Heggie (bass), adding Elizabeth Fraser (vocals) in 1981. In 19 ...

, U2,

Philip Glass Philip Glass (born January 31, 1937) is an American composer and pianist. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential composers of the late 20th century. Glass's work has been associated with minimal music, minimalism, being built up fr ...

, Coil,

Jimi Hendrix James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix (born Johnny Allen Hendrix; November 27, 1942September 18, 1970) was an American singer-songwriter and musician. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest and most influential guitarists of all time. Inducted ...

and

Led Zeppelin Led Zeppelin were an English rock music, rock band formed in London in 1968. The band comprised vocalist Robert Plant, guitarist Jimmy Page, bassist-keyboardist John Paul Jones (musician), John Paul Jones and drummer John Bonham. With a he ...

.Manual
Pitchfork.com

Discography

Albums

*''Until Tomorrow'' (2001) *''Ascend'' (2002) *''Into Forever'' (2003) (collaboration with Icebreaker International) *''The North Shore'' (2004) *''Golden Sun'' (2004) * ''Azure Vista'' (2005) *''Bajamar'' (2006) *''Lost Days, Open Skies and Streaming Tides'' (2007) *''Confluence'' (2008) *''Drowned In Light'' (2010) *''Epic'' (2010) (collaboration with Ulrich Schnauss) *''Ulrich Schnauss and Jonas Munk'' (2011) (collaboration with Ulrich Schnauss) *''Awash'' (2012) *''Pan'' (2013) (as Jonas Munk)

Singles

*''Resort EP'' (2000) *''Dry Moods Warm Nights'' (2001) * ''Isares'' (2003)

Compilations

* ''Blue Skied an' Clear'' ( Morr Music's Slowdive tribute album) (2002)

References

External links

Manual:Pitchforkmedia Interview 2002Manual on Discogs.com
* {{Authority control Danish electronic musicians People from Odense Musicians from the Region of Southern Denmark Morr Music artists Darla Records artists