In Session: Zenker Brothers

Dario and Marco Zenker are two artists who are building something special. Through the Ilian Tape label they co-founded the brothers have set out a blueprint for a richly textured form of techno, crafted to precision to move a dancefloor in both a physical and emotional sense.

Based in Munich, the label’s output has been powerful in a more subtle manner than the no-holds-barred approach commonly found pounding clubs into submission in Germany’s capital city and famed industrial techno stronghold Berlin, with Marcel Dettmann naming the duo’s music as his “weapon of choice” when pursuing a sharp shift of tone in a set. It melds UK-styled breakbeats with layers of expansive bass and lustrous synths, resulting in a more immersive experience. See cuts such as Andrea’s ‘Rainbow’ and ‘TSV WB’ from the Zenker Brothers’ appropriately-titled debut LP ‘Immersion’ for examples.

It’s an MO that comes with the territory. Located within the country’s joint-southernmost state Bavaria, Munich is a leafy city that sits in close proximity to the majestic natural beauty of the snowy peaks of the Alps. The influence of this setting feeds into a sound that can feel mountainous in its range.

Narrow the focus even closer to home, and the impact of the Zenker Brothers’ upbringing in Munich becomes even more apparent. While their youthful listening predominantly amounted to East Coast hip hop and the likes of Gang Starr and Wu-Tang Clan, the formative role of the local scene began to take hold after they hit teenaged years.

The siblings were raised in the thick of the world of techno. Their aunt Dorle Zenker was involved in the running of seminal club Ultraschall which blazed a trail in the city with its calibre of bookings, bringing the likes of Jeff Mills and Carl Craig across the Atlantic. And Anthony “Shake” Shakir and Jay Denham are family friends and would stay at the Zenker residence when passing through Munich.

Anthony “Shake” Shakir gifted Dario his first techno record at the age of 15, at a time when he was throwing psy-trance raves, introducing him to Canadian producer Akufen. It marked a turning point in Dario’s interests, and this soon began to filter through to younger sibling Marco.

At the age of 18 Dario played his first gig within the hallowed halls of Ultraschall, and in the same year began producing, clocking up early releases on labels such as Esperanza and Num Records. Marco followed with his debut in 2008, by which time Ilian Tape was up and running and had begun paving its course towards world domination.

And make no mistake, the sound purveyed by the brothers helming the imprint (described concisely as “techno but more melodic” by Marco) is taking over the globe, reflected both in Ilian Tape’s revered roster that spans Argentinian Andrés Zacco to Imugem Orihasam in Japan, and the Zenker Brothers’ increasingly in-demand status as DJs.

Tune into their In Session mix below for a masterful two-hours of deeply danceable selections, cutting a path through wobbly bassweight, atmospheric shoegaze and off-kilter ambience, underpinned at the heart with heavy percussion.

Patrick Hinton is Mixmag's Digital Staff Writer, follow him on Twitter

You can catch the Zenker Brothers playing Clock Strikes 13's R&S x Timedance party in London on November 12, tickets are available here