Zenker Brothers - Pollioni

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  • When reviewing the Zenker Brothers' fantastic Immersion album back in February, Matt Unicomb pointed out how the record "isn't a step forward so much as a culmination of the music they've released through their label." Much in the same way, Pollioni, the German duo's first collaborative follow-up to their LP, sounds more like an addendum to the previous record than a standalone work. That consistency is likely a byproduct of having such a distinctive, well-honed—not to mention widely loved—sound, so it's difficult to fault Dario and Marco for continuing to do what they do best: deep, drum-focused techno with industrial-strength propulsion. Pollioni's only noticeable difference is that the brothers have pared down their melodic touches. Gone are the lush, jazzy pianos and tense sci-fi pads, and yet the remaining space is used effectively. The lumbering groove in "Night Hustler" gets doused in atonal arps that only enhance its noxious mood; a whisper of melody shifts back and forth throughout "Bias," but is treated like a rhythmic texture to further the groove. Ilian Tape affiliate Philipp Von Bergmann guests on "Karma Lounge," which is the record's weakest offering despite a set of muted, off-kilter chords that add some variant color. Standout "Neunkeu" does the approach one better when it ties a ravey synth phrase and acid sequence into its heavy percussive fracas. You get the sense that the Zenkers used Pollioni to start chipping away at their tried-and-true techno structures. Based on these results, they still have plenty of room to successfully tinker.
  • Tracklist
      A1 Night Hustler A2 Bias B1 Karma Lounge feat. Philipp Von Bergmann B2 Neunkeu
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