Skee Mask: Compro Vinyl 2LP

Finally got our hands on copies of this stunner of a sophomore LP from Munich’s premier style mangler / soundboy killer. Skee Mask (née Brian Müller)’s debut LP Shred was one of the most electrifying full-lengths to surface in recent memory, and his consideration for heartfelt melodies, sublime chord changes and a propensity for sculpting deadly rhythms drew instant comparisons to Richard D. James. Except where RDJ’s total refusal to adhere to stylistic norms have allowed him to flip entire genres on their heads, Skee Mask keeps his heart in the club; happily assimilating with his contemporaries and churning out some of the freshest dancefloor music of the past couple years. While the adventurous-sounding-but-still-very-much-techno Shred felt like it was about to burst at the seams, Compro finds the monster fully out of its cage, with Müller traversing the full spectrum of ambient, drum’n’bass and everything in between. There’s something here for everyone to snack on, from electro-acoustic Mille Plateaux-isms (“Cerroverb,” “Vli”) to baroque dubstep (“Rev8617”), Good Lookin’ brukstep (“Flyby VFR,” personal fave of the set), slo-elektro (“Session Add”) and snowed-in breakbeat rollage (“50 Euro To Break Boost”). The 160+ BPM liquid jungle twissups (“Via Sub Mids,” “Soundboy Ext.,” “Kozmic Flush”) acknowledge golden era Sub Base and ‘Headz without sounding too retro for their own good. Closing track “Calimance [Delay Mix]” winds the session down on a tranquil, smoked-out MoWax tip. Come to think of it, there’s almost no straight-ahead *techno* tracks anywhere to be found here, and I imagine it's going to age quite nicely as a companion piece to Shred. Double vinyl pressing includes code for digital download, recommended.

• double vinyl pressing
• digital download included
• music label: Ilian Tape 2018

reviewed by carparts, bottles & cutlery 07/2018