ILS
Thursday, October 7th, 2004 by Paul Irishnu-skool breaks // hip hop // drum ‘n bass
Mind-stimulating dance music. ILS, aka Ilian Walker, was picked up by breakbeat godfather Adam Freeland after the promo Idiots Behind The Wheel hit Adam’s ears. The sound that he heard was something new: instead of an targeting the hard body-moving breaks and drum machine sounds of standard breakbeat, “ILS succeeded in bringing a deeper, jazzier, more intelligent flavour to the genre without losing its trademark punch.”[BBC Collective] The following tracks are off his latest release, Soul Trader.This breakbeat’s got an organic, natural feel that gets your body and mind into the groove.
Cute playful bounce. For all the people I’ve shared Mathieu with, “cute” is the most used descriptor upon first listen. It was definitely his fragrant and clean sound that first attracted me to him. His American fans affectionately call him “Booger” and he’s collaborated with Yann Tiersen (composer of Amelie). That’s reason enough.
The music from Motown was the only stuff that could speak your soul and to your dancing feet. We all know Edwin from his classic protest song “War”, so much that Jackie Chan quotes it. Great song; this one’s even better. He recorded it a year earlier in 1969. The driving percussion feels like bullets shot at your toes (dance, sucka!) and the hard baritone sax and horns grab your shoulders into a solid groove. It’s a classic inescapable tune that got a little too forgotten. Revive it.
Uptempo jazz action that you’re not quite sure whether to strip to or dance to, this music leaves you with a smile. The production is so clean, many suggest they’re the next 
Bright musical texture. Screen door sundae. Who ever knew this sound could come out of Nashville? But that’s where the scorching voice of vocalist Annette Strean found its musical soapbox. It’s Strean’s vocality that drives the dubby bassline and synth-rich harmonies; first she sounds like Allison (of) Goldfrapp, then Lady Miss Kier of Deee-lite, then Yaz, and then you swear it’s Björk in disguise.
Luscious full sound. The Cinematic Orchestra creates music that is unmistakably jazz; it assuages the listener into a feeling of utter contentment. British multi-instrumentalist and composter Jason Swinscoe created the group and has led it to repeated successes. After the release of their first album, Motion, they were asked to perform at the Directors’ Guild Lifetime Achievement Award Ceremony for Stanley Kubrick. Just last year, they were asked to compose a score for the 1927 ground-breaking silent film, Man With a Movie Camera. Below, “All That You Give” features Fontella Bass of “Rescue Me” fame, but now in a entirely different context.
Icy spicy quiet sizzlin’. You know this song. At least, you’ve heard it sampled before. Bahamadia, the philly princess, emerged as the protege of Gang Starr’s Guru, and dropped this single on the hip hop world. I picked up this remix from Jazzanova’s new 
Funky sample heaven. C-Mon and Kypski is a 
Ass grabbin’ bassline. Catchy catchy rhythm. First, a vocal sample jumps out at you; it’s caught and carried by a fresh little xylophone loop. The vocals come in and the sizzlin’ groove gets your feet movin across the floor. Just after the minute mark, the bass slides in and supports this hot track. Wait up for the hip hop interlude with Redman and Method, because it’ll set you alight.