Samuel L Session and Van Czar are fresh from a recent collaboration on Ben Sims’ Hardgroove, and once again join forces for a release on Unrilis. This is a rather special release for Unrilis, as it’s the relaunch of the Rilis project that was originally led by the label’s founder Rino Cerrone. Rino Cerrone is a veteran Italian artist who was highly influential in the ‘90s and early ‘00s and Rilis was a series of vinyl releases that showcased his own music, often allowing him to experiment with new ideas without compromise.
Unrilis is a label that is best known for its big room style that’s comparable to other techno imprints such as Drumcode, but Rilis goes back to the imprint’s roots with a more stripped-back and hypnotic style similar to the output of imprints such as Ben Klock’s Klockworks. Backed up by DJ support coming from names such as DVS1, Truncate, and Rødhåd, it appears that this release has already found favor with techno’s underground.
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Each of the tracks has its time and place on the dance floor, with “Air Raid” and “Route 200” having an understated tension that’s well placed for building energy at the start of a DJ set. Both focus on held chords or looped layers with rhythmic percussion patterns and a solid kick drum.
The track “18-022” takes us to the peak of the night with its heavy sub-bass and dramatic bursts of synth that weave between the unrelenting percussion and rattling hi-hats.
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“Objectivism” could be argued to be the stand-out track on the EP, as it’s got a distinctive bassline that could be used to switch up the vibe of a DJ set. It’s got an off-kilter funk that combines with the slap of the snare to create a quirky yet functional groove.
It will be interesting to see what comes next in the Rilis series, as it’s nice to hear a long-standing and respected record label return to its roots.
Connect with Samuel L Session: SoundCloud丨Facebook丨Beatport丨Instagram
Connect with Van Czar: SoundCloud丨Facebook丨Twitter丨Beatport丨Instagram
