Ilian Tape Germany

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 EP 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", on the flip of the disc, 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: New Andrea material on Ilian Tape - incoming! The mysterious techno maverick returns to the German imprint with four new slices of sci-fi funk, packaged in the artist's usual blend of synth experimentation and 90s d&b flavours. "20th November" is a booming, piledriver of a tune suited to the world's biggest dancefloors, while "Layer" breaks the groove down with heavier injections of breaks and growling bass tones. The B-side kicks off with "Radiant", a beat-heavy, dubwise joint that reminds us of Shed's Head High material, leaving "Remade" to stutter in space with its off-kilter beats and glitchy percussion swings. Masterful.

Review: Sprightly Galvanizing Bud Spencer Hits.

Review: Former Playhouse and Bio Rhythm man Roger Reuter has only one previous album to his name, the woozy, edge-of-reason ambience of 2015's Mensch 001. Extended Play is its' follow up, and sees the experienced German producer appear on Ilian Tape for the first time. Rooted in his usual brand of unsettling, otherworldly ambience, the six tracks variously draw influence from early IDM, drone, dub techno, industrial and experimental film soundtracks. Despite these nods to familiar experimental styles, it's an album that can easily be listened to in a variety of situations, and never drags. It's strongest moments, such as the mournful ambient throb of "State IIX Interlude II", are particularly beguiling.

Review: Galactic Peace Gathering Hymns.

Review: Illian Tape was responsible for releasing Sciahri's debut EP a couple of years back, so it's fitting that he's returned following a brief flirtation with Black Opal. The Florence-based producer is in a feisty mood, too, as can be heard on sparkling opener "Atonement", which sounds like the mutant offspring of West London broken beat, Detroit futurism and abstract techno. Its' pleasing positivity is removed on the accompanying Pessimist Remix, which brilliantly turns it into a grouchy, moody, bass-heavy shuffler. Flip for the tantalizing creepiness of clandestine ambient shuffler "Enemy Sound", and the deeper, heads-down broken techno grooves of "Departure".

Review: Having established their Ilian Tape label over a wealth of 12" releases these past few years, the brothers Zenker have expanded its remit to include artist albums in the most thrilling of fashions. Their own Immersion LP set the tone early last year, and now it's the turn of fellow Munich-based DJ and producer Skee Mask with the superb Shred. This 12-track set follows a couple of Ilian Tape singles from Skee Mask which marked him out as a producer of real potential but he's really outdone himself on Shred. There is a faint concept for those that want one, an expansion on his interest in snow and glacier caps, but it's easy enough to plunge headfirst and enjoy this LP on the merits of the music alone. Ambient pieces slide into thunderous techno productions and thrilling sideways turns into broken junglist cuts and vintage IDM sounding diversions.

Review: Skee Mask, who only recently was found out to be called Bryan Muller, comes through with his second LP to date, making a wonderful follow-up to 2016's Shred. Compro is, ironically, comprised of a much more explorative palette of sounds, with many corners of the album veering off into otherworldly ambient, often through a striking new-age sensibility. The most impressive element of this album is its flow and evolution across its 12 tracks, sounding a lot more like one single-minded thought rather than a collection of disparate dance-not-dance tunes. The quality of the recording is noticeable, too, with tracks like "Rev8617" or "Via Sub Mids" sounding professional, both in vision and style. Through an intricate collage of breaks, samples, polyphonies, and subtle electronic manipulations, Skee Mask has truly mastered his own art, and is giving a new direction to the wider 'UK rave' sound. BIG.

Review: Foolhardy Lush Smartphone Pause.

Review: The rise of Ilian Tape has been piloted by Dario and Marco Zenker with a steady assurance, so it makes perfect sense for the brothers to helm the first long player project from the Munich label. Immersion is a vibrant, atmospheric stroll through their various influences and inspirations with plenty to admire amongst the ten tracks. There is the bustling, leftfield breakbeat techno of "TSV WB" and pounding "High Club" (a no-nonsense dancefloor assault blessed with occasional eyes-closed chords), as well as sublime tech-jazz of "Cornel 21" and pitched-down junglisms of "Innef Runs". Interestingly, there are also a number of crusty, distorted ambient interludes, with "Erbquake" sounding particularly potent.

Review: Ever committed to the techno cause, Dario Zenker returns once more to his own Ilian Tape imprint with four intense statements of how classic and modern elements should be fused to make timeless tracks. "27 Northwest" undoubtedly has a whiff of original Detroit about it, but there's no escaping how much of a hook the lead synth is over the tough but dextrous beat. "Cooking Booking" meanwhile exists somewhere in that discordant realm Kevin Saunderson dipped his toes into before rave emerged as its own offshoot, all the time still pounding out a detailed broken techno pattern. "Growin" gets a little more heady in its use of old-skool chords before "Karlim" softens the edges of the EP with a glorious slice of emotive techno.

Review: Having spent the last couple of years concentrating on his collaborative Zenker Brothers project with brother Dario, Marco Zenker has decided the time is right to deliver a new solo 12". Predictably, he hits the mark from the off, successfully blending starburst chords and loose, clattering drum machine rhythms on the tech-jazz influenced "Amb-01". Those looking for a more metronomic, 4/4 club techno roller should check the bounding kick drums and restless hi-hats of "Isolated". B1 cut "First Feeling" sounds like a Motor City techno take on The Orb's 1989 classic "A Huge Ever Growing Pulsating Brain", while closer "Motion" is little less than a sparkling, sunburst tribute to classic, hardcore-era breakbeat techno.