Mono/Poly

Charles Dickerson was one of several figures who emerged from Los Angeles' community of instrumental hip-hop producers -- including connections with the city's Low End Theory club nights, as well as Flying Lotus -- during the 2000s. Dickerson made his first moves with 12" singles and EPs on labels such as Circulations, Faces, and Fat City. As Monopoly, he remixed Flying Lotus' "Melt!" in 2008. Following his first album, Paramatma (2010), he signed to Flying Lotus' Brainfeeder label. Dickerson debuted there in 2011 with Manifestations, an EP that showcased his alternately sparse and cluttered approach to beat-making with an off-center sense of humor. After he contributed to Thundercat's Apocalypse, he released Golden Skies, dreamier and more melodic than his debut, in 2014. ~ Andy Kellman