Ilija Rudman - Shir Khan Presents Black Jukebox 38 [Exploited]

Format: 12".
CAT: BJ38

Visionary producer Ilija Rudman lands squarely on the Black Jukebox catalog with a hypnotic two-tracker.

From Zagreb, Ilija has built a trajectory spanning over two decades, during which he’s released over 100 vinyl EPs and 8 studio albums, collaborating with names such as Robert Owens, Greg Wilson, Faze Action, and Ron Trent.

“Euphonia” opens with an elegant piece that fuses the deep nuances of Detroit with the flexible electro-funk of Morgan Geist and Clatterbox. A sawtooth-like bassline ascends through the low frequencies as exquisite synths bend and glide into the center of the groove. Precise and delicate, the drums hit, snap, and move with ease, guiding a relaxed and retro-futuristic journey to the moon.

“Late Checkout” continues within a similar sound palette: rich and enveloping analog pads work as a magic carpet for synth phrases with a Prelude-era spirit and another bassline that appears with subtlety. The tone is refined, and nothing feels forced as Ilija Rudman traverses the wide sonic territory between Salsoul-era disco and contemporary electro-funk with impeccable naturalness and style.