Session Victim
By: Dream Chimney
The following interview was conducted on June 21, 2025
Session Victim are back on Delusions of Grandeur with the first part of a trilogy set to give SV fans a boost, entitled ‘Sidequests Chapter 1’. No strangers to the London label, the German duo – Matthias Reiling & Hauke Freer - are set to enchant with four tracks that blend all the elements that they have helped form their reputation of production excellence; hazy house, broken beats and trip hops dubs finely tuned and chiselled to the maximum. Here we ask the formidable pair to talk to us about ten trip-hops cuts that have made them nod their heads, do the bass face, and tap their feet. What a playlist and what a treat.
Terranova - Never
M: What a haunting piece, and so elegant at the same time. From Nicolette Krebitz' voice
to the screaming reverby pads, everything just matches perfectly. Also, probably my favourite use of the Leevee break.
RJD2 - Smoke & Mirrors
M: Taking a song and building a whole new piece of music around it like this - RJD2 truly is a grandmaster of sampling and this is one of his brightest moments. Simply incredible.
DJ Shadow - Building Steam
M: Yeah well. What can you even say about this?
Everyone should listen to this album at least once in their lifetime. One of the great pieces of music from the 20th century, on par with every Illmatic, Sgt Peppers or Nevermind there is. This song is a huge standout to me and had an influence that can't really be overstated.
Luke Vibert - Sharp A2
M: Did I use the word masterpice yet? The way that eerie string loop and the piano come together is nothing short of magical for me. Of course, the dragging drums and bassline are the prefect rhythm section for this black belt sample wizardry.
Portishead - Only You
M: I know for most people it's Dummy, but I was always more drawn to the self-titled follow up. You have that sick drumbeat, the kind of clumsy Pharside scratch and then the beautiful Inspector Clouseau strings – nothing of this seems like an obvious match, but they do build one of the most stylish tracks of the 90ies, certainly the perfect bed for Beth Gibbons on her very A game.
The Irresistible Force - Napalese Bliss (Jimpster Remix)
M: Top 5 synth licks of all time? Check. Top 10 remixes of all time? Check. The first record that Hauke and me both bought independently from each other? Facts!
Photek - Modus Operandi
M: This is another album no one who reads this should miss! The title track is simply brilliant and brilliantly simple – and sounds just as dope today as it did when I first heard it.
Howie B. – Birth
H: I spend my time skipping school in the local record shop, where the owner let me listen to every new record. I could maybe buy one record a month with my pocket money. I remember contemplating buying the compilation (Give Em Enough Dope) with this track or another triphop compilation for about 3 weeks. After the purchase I must have listened to this track a thousand times…. So good still.
Freakpower In Dub – My Heart Sings
H: Ok. This story justifies another one from the same compilation. Wow, this aged well. It's easy to overlook all that groundwork of Norman Cook before he hit the pop sphere.
Lamb – Trans Fatty Acid (K&D Session)
H: Kinda Cliche maybe, but I feel a triphop list without a Kruder and Dorfmeister Remix would be just wrong. The remix masters turned a great song into something other wordly. If you are into the craft of remixing – this needs to be your benchmark (that is impossible to top).
Check out the latest release from Session Victim.