Founded in 2007 by the Zenker Brothers out of Munich, Ilian Tape has successfully carved out its own niche when it comes to warehouse inspired techno and breakbeat electro. Helping spawn the careers of artists like Andrea and Stenny, to the Zenker Brothers themselves, Ilian Tape is responsible for the release of Skee Mask’s entire solo output - namely his debut album Shred and 2021’s Pool - to courting the respect and subsequent music of old school legends like Roger 23 and Surgeon. With the likes of Pessimist, Etch and Walton helping spearhead a new and UK inspired approach to the Ilian Tape sound, there’s no denying a new vanguard in cutting edge dance music has arrived.
Review: Italy's Andrea is now a trusted member of the Ilian Tape collective, having only released for the German label thus far. But, why would he go elsewhere? These guys are on fire, and releasing some of the most interesting shades of industrial 4/4 these days. This is his fourth single for the throng, and "Floating" starts off with a beatless, wide-eyed landscape of soft pads to introduce the twisted, shifting, break-driven tech of "Timed". "Queue A" is a driving pile of rusty kick drums and oceanic pads that head into the deeper end of the techno sphere, while "22:22" goes all-out on the jungle patterns with its broken groove that recalls the likes of LTJ Bukem or Dego at their more pacy moods. A killer of an EP!
Review: Having set our world alight with his third Ilian Tape EP, 2012, back in the spring, Munich man Skee Mask delivers another essential collection of loose-limbed, broken techno workouts. Typically, he's on point from the word go, enveloping swinging, off-kilter techno breakbeats with swirling chords and cascading melodies on brilliant opener "Inti". His love of African-influenced polyrhythms is explored further on the ghostly, percussion-rich club cut "Kappelberg Chant" (which, incidentally, makes great use of choral chants), while "Routine" is a warm, loved-up and evocative tribute to rave-era British breakbeat-house. His debt to British dance music's formative years also comes to the fore on killer proto-jungle jam "Skreet Lvl Dub".
Review: Having set our world alight with his third Ilian Tape EP, 2012, back in the spring, Munich man Skee Mask delivers another essential collection of loose-limbed, broken techno workouts. Typically, he's on point from the word go, enveloping swinging, off-kilter techno breakbeats with swirling chords and cascading melodies on brilliant opener "Inti". His love of African-influenced polyrhythms is explored further on the ghostly, percussion-rich club cut "Kappelberg Chant" (which, incidentally, makes great use of choral chants), while "Routine" is a warm, loved-up and evocative tribute to rave-era British breakbeat-house. His debt to British dance music's formative years also comes to the fore on killer proto-jungle jam "Skreet Lvl Dub".
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