- The newest Ilian Tape signing lands with one hell of a splash.
- A year after the split of dubstep duo Sicaria Sound, its two members—who individually go by SICARIA and Mia Koden—have each delivered their biggest solo releases within two weeks of each other. While SICARIA's melody-driven dubstep goes down a giddy, "not so serious" route (literally), Mia Koden has quickly become a favorite of the "we are definitely serious" Zenker Brothers, who enlisted her for their mix series, booked her for several Ilian Tape parties in Europe, and signed her dark, take-no-prisoners EP Decode.
The sparse, dubby atmospherics and intricate sub-bass that tie this EP together is a perfect fit for Dario and Marco Zenker's label. But Mia Koden hits harder than Ilian Tape's usual suspects. Her music has that core, swaying-in-front-of-the-subs dubstep sound pioneered by artists like Mala but with unpredictable arrangements and sneakily good sound design. "Sludge" takes Decode to pressurized depths with a dub bassline so low that you'll feel it more than you'll hear it. It's like a haunted house tour—flanged-out hi-hats flap like bat wings and synths that sound like a spectral transmission from the spirit world.
"10easy" moves into grime turf, equipped with a trappy snare, cheeky vocals and menacing mid-range bass that's not far off from a Dave instrumental. The clear centrepiece is "Racket," which deftly fuses electro, dubstep and a touch of footwork. The aquatic synths add a splash of colour to an otherwise cold-hearted, percussive-driven release. The distorted kick feels like it's trying to punch its way out as it swings to a commanding groove, chased by a womping LFO bassline.
Mia Koden rounds out the release with "Après Vous," a shadowy stepper dedicated to her late South Sudanese grandfather, which features samples of Congolese soukous musician Kanda Bongo Man (one of his favourites) while it marches forward with a hefty swagger. All four of these tunes orbit the dubstep happy place of 140 BPM, but each comes with its own smudge from other low-end-tinted realms with a finesse and a confidence that makes her a formidable addition to the Ilian Tape roster.
Tracklist01. 10easy
02. Racket
03. Sludge
04. Après Vous