Skee Mask - 2012
Skee Mask has been working solely with Illian Tape since his first release in 2014. After an exciting debut album it comes as no surprise his latest 4 track EP, an exciting blend of techno and ambient sounds, falls on the same platform yet again. The Munich based DJ/Producer is some what of a mystery and tries to maintain being unidentified, however his appearances more and more on the labels showcases across Europe are making him a regular face to many. Yet people are still asking ‘Who is Skee Mask?’.
His no nonsense approach to techno nicely represents the label whilst also bringing diversity. The opening track ‘Kordman Return (Swing Mix) is an instant fix of punching kick, swinging percussion and spacey melodies. The relation between the breaks and build up of the drums throughout keeps the track nicely rolling to the end. The record kicks up a gear with nostalgic second track ‘Palo Alto’. A fierce high tempo 4/4 cut resembling something you could expect to hear in an early Jeff Mills mix.
The second half of the EP starts with crowd pleasure ‘Fjorward Flex Dub'. A mix of everything good you want to hear at 5am, energetic drum work outs, spine-chilling synths and moving breaks that burst sharp back to life. The final cut ‘Glass Museum’ is a moody 5 and half minutes of immersive soundscapes, gritty hits and playful sub bass. 2012 has a lot to offer, it has its moments of peaking into dance floor madness yet still comes down to a level that transpires relaxation.