Perth producer Ukiyo continues his massive strides forward in 2018 with the highly-anticipated debut EP ‘Fantasy’ – a six track condensed offering that soothes your palate instantly through the heavy utilisation of chilled ambiance and electronic bliss.
‘Fantasy’ begins in a quirky nature with the charismatic ‘Clicky’, the Perth producers latest single. ‘Clicky’ achieves a playfulness immediately through a grooving percussion that combines with the perky synths thrown around the mix, with various electronic elements placed in and out of the piece to display the production prowess that the young producer holds in his weaponry. This acts as the perfect lead in to the slow burner that is ‘Something Like This’, which enlists Melbourne singer/songwriter FEELDS on vocals. The resounding soundscape in the synths lurking in the background works superbly for FEELDS to use as a pedestal to lay out pure magic in his catchy melodies that captivate us immediately.
As we progress through the track listing, we notice a shift into a more progressive tempo that begins in ‘Drive’. The track builds through a repetition in the warped sampled melody that rises in cohesion with the brooding bass and Ukiyo’s trademark tight percussion, ultimately leading to an intensified chorus centred around the sharp synths stabbing through the mix that draws comparisons to Flume’s ‘Insane’. Ukiyo cleverly adds a strategic layer of intrigue via the utilisation of an off-beat melody in the synths that is the final piece of the puzzle to an impressive instrumental.
A highlight of ‘Fantasy’ lies in hidden gem ‘Life’, a track that lures you in instantaneously with mystery. This sense of unknown is injected through layered usage of ambient synths that provide a solid foundation to crash into the pulsating drop full of bass and punchy percussion to solidify the force within. What stands out within ‘Life’ as compared to other tracks is Ukiyo’s ability to pull the intensity back and showcase differing shades of colour through a momentary reprieve filled to the brim with spirited vocal samples thrown around.
‘Fantasy’ rounds itself out by providing the soundtracks for moments of relaxation and bliss. ‘Lonesome’ takes a step back in tempo and creates an RnB groove in the percussion, as well as creating a simple yet effective composition through minimal instrumentation achieved in the delayed keys and the subtle vocal sample echoed in the background. This minimalistic approach works its way into the final track of the EP ‘Go’, which enlists Chymes on the vocal front through a captivating take on the emotional context. Travelling on the same wavelength as ‘Lonesome’, Ukiyo creates significant depth overall through a cohesive construction of electronic elements that climax into an explosion of sound sends off the track with significant strength.
Buy/Stream: Ukiyo
Artist Connect: Facebook | Twitter | Soundcloud | Instagram