Skee Mask

Review: Following a fine solo EP from Jonas Friedlich, the Molten Moods label returns to type with another compilation style EP featuring a quartet of cuts from their growing roster of artists. Kessel Vale kicks off proceedings with the lightly melodic, becalmed electronic experimentalism of "Voguing Geisha", before Skee Mask unfurls the Autechre-does-deep-dubstep flex of "Fanta Ocean" with a little assistance from label co-founder Jonas Yamer. On the flipside, Konrad Wehrmeister layers drifting, melancholic melodies over heavy sub-bass and skittish electro beats, while Jonas Yehmer joins the dots between spaced-out dub techno and out-of-this-world ambient on "Insgeheim". Impressive stuff, all told.

Review: Having set our world alight with his third Ilian Tape 12", 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: A lot more eyes are on the brothers Zenker and their Ilian Tape label in the aftermath of Immersion that fine exercise in the art of the techno album but it doesn't seem to be fazing Dario and Marko. If anything they are remaining resolute to the approach, and the artists, that have served them so well as the label as risen these past few years. Junt sees the welcome return of Skee Mask, who delivered a real highlight of Ilian Tape's 2014 schedule in Serum, and the four tracks suggest the unheralded producer is quite the talent. The mood veers from tense dystopian electro on the title track to rolling abstract soundscapes ("Hover") to deft wall shakers ("Larus Canus"). Final track "Start Up Trak (edit)" is quite beautiful!

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: Having delivered one of the strongest electronic albums of 2018, Skee Mask AKA Bryan Muller returns to action with a tightly floor-focused 12" of broken techno rhythms and UK rave-influenced workouts. A-side "Trackheadz" is suitably weighty and forthright, with Muller wrapping drowsy deep space chords, hardcore style breakbeats and orgasmic vocal snippets around sturdy techno drums. Both B-side cuts are far more mellow in tone, with Muller underpinning swelling ambient chords and blissful chill-out room melodies with skittish, early IDM style beats. As with a lot of the producer's work, the vintage influences and inspirations are obvious, but the resultant cuts still sound warm, fresh and life affirming.

Review: Munich-based mystery man, Skee Mask, remains at the top of our Ilian Tape favourites. While we love the work of brothers Dario and Marco Zenker, the two label founders, we think that this guy's sound is the creme de la creme of contemporary, dub-filtered techno. Serum and Junt were both absolute killer EPs, and the Shred album was also on our list of the best releases of 2016, so we're pretty psyched about this new single, the curiously named 2012. The opening "Kordman Return (Swing mix)" is Skee Mask up to his naughty break sampling and techno wizardry, all broken and loose, whereas "Palo Alto" sees the producer in a surprisingly sturdy, head-first mood driven by solid bursts of 4/4 and wondrous synths. Over on the B-side, "Fjorward Flex Dub" swings its mighty swarms of drums over a minimal flurry of melodies, in what feels like a sublime reinterpretation of heavy, 90s power-house; "Glass Museum" closes with a real twist thanks to an abstract, wide-eyed landscape of dissolving, jazzed-out percussion and moody ambience. Excellent material, as per usual.