Ultra_eko first made an appearance on The Static Dive early in December upon the release of his 15 track album, “Alternate Realities.” On that record he took us on a tour through popular UK rock, Pop and Hip-hop from the 1980’s to the present day. At its core, his music is Hip-hop. However, the diversely talented musician matches his rhymes to Alt-Rock guitars, New Wave synths, Ska rhythms and Trip-Hop beats. It is a wild mix, made all the more impressive by the fact that it works. The rapper’s crafty wordplay and South London dialect are the glue that tie the sound together into a cohesive whole.
Although he just made his solo debut in 2019, Ultra_eko is making up for lost time in a big way. “Alternate Realities” was his second full-length LP of 2020. Those records, along with an EP and dozens of singles constitute an impressive and extensive catalog delivered in incredibly short order. Although we know his geographic origins, the details of his history are buried in mythology. With a new album of remixes by an equally enigmatic producer named “Subsequel” on the way, Ultra_eko’s backstory is evolving. However, the additional information only deepens the mystery.
According to legend, both Ultra_eko and Subsequel trace their origins to something called the “Croydon Space Centre.” Eko held the title of “Emissary,” representing the human race to all alien species encountered during the team’s space explorations. Subsequel (an artificial intelligence) was, “a technological anomaly who made the entire operation feasible.” He is rumored to be a product of a collaboration between Nikola Tesla and Albert Einstein, operating simultaneously within both the quantum and spiritual realms. Other theories tie God and the Nazis into the narrative, but the details cannot be confirmed at this time.
As the story goes, The Croydon Space Centre and Subsequel were ultimately destroyed by a rival gang of South London physicists, Decades later Ultra_eko revived the computer from spare parts and employed the robot in his new endeavour as a genre-twisting Alternative Hip-hop emcee and producer. Their first project together in this new era is the forthcoming remix album, “Into the Multiverse – The Subsequel Mixes.”
The new 12-song record consists of some dramatic new interpretations of previous Ultra_eko bangers. Consisting mostly of tracks from the “Alternate Realities” record, Subsequel adds his uniquely robotic sensibilities to the organic sounds of Ultra_eko. Alt-Pop guitar tracks like “Keep Busy” and “Day Tripper” find new life with EDM grooves and Hip-Hop breakbeats. Similarly, the disco funk of songs like “My Old Man” and “Cash Money Moolah” receive a new coat of electro-polish on the new album.
Great songs are great songs, and they remain so regardless of the packaging. That fact holds true from start to finish on “Into the Multiverse – The Subsequel Mixes.” The record treats us to exciting new interpretations of an excellent collection of tunes. The album will be available everywhere February 8, 2021. Until then, we can enjoy the advance single “Pingu (The Subsequel Mix).” The song is a cool Pet Shop Boys style jam based on the story of an 1980’s claymation penguin from the Chilean coast. You might want to re-read that last sentence.
Check out “Pingu (The Subsequel Mix)” on the Deep Indie Dive playlist. Click the links below to connect with Ultra_eko and Subsequel. Get in the loop on all of the current and future projects from this remarkably creative and prolific artist.
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Ultra_eko on the Deep Indie Dive playlist
