Islands On Tape - Dust Conspiracy Islands On Tape

A new producer-led project from musician and composer Nitzan Dana, Islands on Tape arrives with Dust Conspiracy, a cinematic and deeply textured three-track EP balancing vintage exotica, library music, psychedelic groove and modern beat culture.

Previously known for his work with psychedelic post-rock outfit Meuban, Dana created Islands on Tape as a separate artistic identity, a space to explore instrumental composition and studio experimentation through a more personal lens. Across the EP, he draws on a wide palette of influences, from Sven Wunder and Maston to exotica pioneer Les Baxter, alongside the sample-driven worlds of Madlib and MF DOOM. The result is a record that feels loose and organic in spirit while remaining intricately arranged and carefully constructed throughout.

Recorded across just three sessions with a close circle of collaborators, Dust Conspiracy draws together live drums, flute, percussion, surf guitars, Farfisa organs and atmospheric textures into a sound equally indebted to 1960s soundtrack music, dusty hip-hop production and classic exotica records.

Opening track “Dust Conspiracy” began with a bassline inspired by late-night listening sessions and crate-dug hip-hop production. Initially built around sampled drums, the piece evolved into a fully live recording featuring drummer Lotan Yaish (El Khat, Şatellites) and percussionist Ron Avidan. Swirling organs, creeping rhythms and heavy cymbal work give the track the feel of a lost 1970s espionage soundtrack, smoky, hypnotic and cinematic.

“Cellar No. 7”, the final composition completed for the record, grew from a simple evolving sketch into one of the release’s most transportive moments. Combining exotica moods, surf guitar textures and warm organ lines, the track nods to the stylised worlds of Alessandro Alessandroni and Ennio Morricone, conjuring images of hidden underground wine cellars and faded Mediterranean interiors.

Closing piece “Speed Run” unfolds patiently before building toward a widescreen cinematic climax. Featuring Turkish-influenced guitar motifs, 12-string textures and dramatic flute passages from Yotam Asael, the track reflects Dana’s love for the Italian soundtrack-inspired world of Rome. Anchored by hypnotic bass and drums before gradually expanding outward, it stands as the EP’s most ambitious and emotionally expansive composition.

Blending cinematic soul, psychedelic groove, exotica and rhythm-heavy instrumental production, Dust Conspiracy introduces Islands on Tape as a richly detailed new studio project, equally suited to late-night headphone listening, imagined film sequences and dusty, atmospheric dancefloors.