Listening to Ship Sket feels like being dragged to hell and back. The Manchester artist makes pulverising club music that draws from grime and bassline, with horror-inspired vocal samples that sound like they’ve been exported straight from a zombie apocalypse video game OST. Descending through layers of maddening production, and disorientating beats that shake you to your core, tracks are broken apart and put back together. Elsewhere, pop culture snippets such as Spongebob Squarepants are given a menacing twist, melting out of recognition before your ears.

Gaining recognition in Manchester’s thriving underground scene, Ship Sket is a regular at local venues like The White Hotel and SOUP, having played alongside the likes of Rainy Miller and Iceboy Violet. For his Dazed mix, the producer and DJ selects a bunch of “scary and sexy” tunes to vibe to, as well as a slew of unreleased tracks featuring friends from the scene. So, listen at your own risk.

What are you listening to at the moment?

Ship Sket: Listening to lots of baile funk, Death Grips’ Jenny Death album, and Serbia’s Eurovision entry. 

What are some of your earliest memories of music? Have they influenced your sound at all?

Ship Sket: My earliest musical memory was playing with tiny dinosaurs with my mate while listening to my dad’s records. But definitely the most influential thing was discovering Aphex Twin’s music when I was like 12 or 13.

How would you describe the scene in Manchester? How has the city contributed to your sound?

Ship Sket: You don’t need me to tell you Manny has some of the best talent and culture in not only the UK but the world right now. It’s very nice being amongst such a huge pool of great artists – and a little scary.

What are some of your latest internet obsessions?

Ship Sket: Tortoise eating ASMR.

Tell us about your Dazed mix.

Ship Sket: My Dazed mix is scary and sexy and will hopefully make you vibe. It features loads of unreleased stuff from myself and friends like super genius Alza54 as well as loads of music from insane people in the scene right now, like Blood of Aza and S280F. In fact, the S280F track was so lit I had to play it twice. You know what they say: if it’s nice play it twice – big love!

Tracklist

Ship Sket - ???
Seychelles - ???
FULL MOON 120 (S280F EDIT)
Ship Sket - ???
Klahrk & Roxas & Katt - hypertension
Night Lovell - Puppet
Ship Sket - ???
Ship Sket - ???
Ship Sket & Alza54 - ???
Keygurr - Luxuria 130 BPM
Kelela - Enemy
Exploited Body - Syrtis 
NKC - Strak
SOPHIE - HARD (Dismagazine Rinse FM cut)
H E N G E - Fort Work
Lithe - One For Russ
Alza54 - ???
Ship Sket & Alza54 - ???
Alza54 - ???
Ship Sket - ???
FULL MOON 120 (S280F EDIT)
Blood of Aza - America Has A Problem (remix)
Ship Sket - ???
Ship Sket & Alza54 - ???
Ship Sket - Far Away
Ship Sket - ???
Ship Sket - ???