- There's a nostalgic streak to Skee Mask, the young Munich producer with his name on some of Ilian Tape's best records. It's in his glowing chords and cosmic pads, which reference early IDM and techno as they smudge the style of booming percussion Ilian Tape has made its own. But there's also something distinctly modern about Skee Mask's music, heard in the finely tuned basslines and precision rhythms that, as the producer told Electronic Beats, chase a balance between the raw and precise. "I could never manage that with purely analogue or digital means," he said.
This balance is especially satisfying on the second instalment in Ilian Skee Series. Four tracks of slamming beats and celestial synths, it captures a few of Skee Mask's sides. Complete with a "jungle forever—it's a London ting" spoken-word vocal, "Skreet Lvl Dub" is Skee Mask the junglist. "Routine" is dreamy breakbeat, the kind of tune you might hear in a Slow Life DJ set, while "Kappelberg Chant" has bleeps to go along with its atmospheric vocals and tight bassline. "Inti" is among Skee Mask's best tunes, a snaking roller with the faintest of vocals and a mood that would put dancers in a trance. Like the rest of Skee Mask's discography, it pairs the emotional depth of '90s dance music with razor-sharp modern production, a combination only a few artists pull off. Another EP, another knockout from Skee Mask.
TracklistA1 Inti
A2 Kappelberg Chant
B1 Routine
B2 Skreet Lvl Dub