- 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.
Lista de títulosA1 Night Hustler
A2 Bias
B1 Karma Lounge feat. Philipp Von Bergmann
B2 Neunkeu