The producer transfers over from Ilian Tape with the “dystopian post-rave experimentation” of the upcoming Gefüge.
Felix Manuel’s unique productions as Djrum are crafting a fresh hybrid of UK-informed experimental dance music writes Gwyn Thomas de Chroustchoff.
This is a delightfully strange record, one that is likely to leave Ilian Tape fans reared on the Munich label’s recent succession of jet-propelled techno infused with breakbeats very confused. In the best way possible of course. With the true meaning of EP bastardized at will these days by labels mistakenly proffering two or three-track 12”s under the name, it’s great to see Roger 23’s Extended Play lives up to its billing. A six-track record and one that barely bothers with the notion of the dancefloor; instead offering up three vignettes of ambience amidst an equal number of more fleshed-out Roger 23 productions.
The Turin native maintains his annual release schedule for the Zenker Brothers’ label with the upcoming Consume IV.
The London beatsmith makes his first outing of the year on a split disc with an unknown entity.
Producers from across the planet, spanning Serbia to Argentina, have stepped up to release on Ilian Tape since its formation in 2007. The immersive, textured techno purveyed through the label by founding brothers Dario and Marco Zenker has made their hometown Munich a focal point of the world scene, with the emergence of latest recruit Skee Mask from the South German city underlining their local-cum-global influence. Following two EPs arriving as part of the imprint’s ITX series, Skee Mask now returns with an album christened Shred. This title – a term used by advanced skiers to refer to partaking in the winter sport – reflects the conceptual theme of wintery nature that permeates Skee Mask’s work, but it also comes across as an expression of confidence
It’s been an intriguing journey for Dario and Marco Zenker to get to where they are today. The former carved out a name for himself in the peak of the minimal techno boom, getting into twitchy grooves on Vakant, Unfoundsound and Telegraph amongst others, while Marco made his first steps on their own Ilian Tape imprint a little later on. With firm foundations underneath their feet, in the past year or so the combined efforts of the Munich-based siblings have garnered ever more praise, as their sound has naturally edged towards a more full-bodied techno approach with their appreciation of sound design and crafty detail intact.
The Munich pair will issue their debut long player Immersion in February.