Review: "Into The Multiverse (The Subsequel Mixes)" Album by Ultra_eko
Ultra_eko goes into a wonderful, woozy approach on the lush arrangements of “Into The Multiverse (The Subsequel Mixes)”. Within this singular album of Subsequel remixes, Ultra_eko takes a different tact, for the stylistic variation results in some wonderful left field experiments.
Hip-hop still remains the main attraction, but Ultra_eko’s usage of downtempo, jazz, trap, tech house, and more offers a rather creative take on the originals. His vocals still rest prominently in the center of each track yet the way that the pieces unfurl has a lot more unexpected elements about it, for the fantastic twists and turns add to the emotional resonance of the collection.
There is a multi-hybrid quality to the pieces, at times touching upon the polyphonic glee of Underworld’s early output. Akin to their early stuff, Ultra_eko is not afraid to lean into some rather unusual takes with hip-hop’s roots, resulting in moments that are true bliss to observe. Beyond this, Ultra_eko also fits in with a wide array of his contemporaries who refuse to make something simple, as they fuse up elements of jazz, funk, and rap in ways perhaps best observed on labels like Stones Throw and Brainfeeder Records.
Clever glitch aesthetics rest at the very heart of “The Second Chapter” where Subsequel has fun messing with the groove in elastic, ecstatic ways. Tempos are stretched into a low-slung roll with “Keep Busy”. Pieces of dance rock filter into the fray on the swagger of “Cash Money Moolah”. Elements of Neon Indian’s fondness for 80s synth pop comes to the forefront on the lush chords of “Pingu”.
Giddy energy bursts forth on the sly funk of “Girl From Round The Way”, as the song gets sped up in a joyful way. Dub effects add to the heavy cadence of “Yellow” while the song has a kaleidoscopic spirit where the focus keeps changing up. Pure togetherness races forward on the celebratory “Where You At?”. Ending things on a classy, classic hit is the drum n’bass hyperactivity of “Ashes To Ashes”.
The “Into The Multiverse (The Subsequel Mixes)” album proves Ultra_eko to be an exceptional explorer of sound sculpting, with stories that linger in the mind.