Lightreft.jp - Monolit

Monolit is the first device from a company called Light Reft. This device goes beyond what simple controllers can do and acts more like a "MIDI-computer". It features eight sliders and thirteen buttons, plus a 128x64 monochrome display to access the rest of its functions. Each preset contains eight banks with 64 fully customizable controls.

Its minimal aesthetic recalls devices like Monome or Norns — units that carved out their own niche scenes by themselves. Monolit, machined from a single piece of aluminum with its crisp monochrome display, shares that same tool-like confidence.

What makes this a different beast from your ordinary midi controller is its four operational modes. CC mode handles traditional parameter control with time-lag options for smooth automation. Notes mode transforms sliders into melodic triggers with adjustable spacing and velocity. LFO mode generates modulation signals with sync capabilities, while Motion mode records and replays your slider movements for expressive automation sequences.

Connectivity spans most of the modern studio landscape. USB-C handles computer communication, TRS MIDI outputs to hardware, and USB-A accepts external controllers, gamepads, or even Monome Grids, the lot! The device can process external MIDI through split modes, arpeggiators, and key-follow algorithms, making it a capable MIDI processor beyond its controller duties. A recent update brought a web editor which streamlines configuration, and the firmware receives regular updates with new features.

Light Reft's Sasha DZA and his small team handcraft each unit in Japan. For those curious about the story behind this device, there's a great interview over at Stromkult that explores the creative vision and ideas driving this project. To get a better idea of all the things that the Monolit is capable of we suggest you take a deep dive into the manual or check out some of the videos below.

Features:

• Advanced Midi Computer machined from single piece of aluminum
• Screen: 128x64 multi-bright monochrome display with pixel font
• Controls: 8 sliders and 13 buttons providing full control
• Banks: 8 banks with 64 fully customizable sliders and buttons per preset
• Memory: Save, load, edit, and switch between presets
• Compatibility: Works with any DAW or hardware device supporting MIDI
• Connectivity: TRS to MIDI, USB-C outputs, USB input for external devices
• Modes: 4 customizable slider modes and 4 button modes
• Web Editor: Browser-based configuration tool for streamlined setup