Tag: Ultraflex

Ultraflex invite us to party on “Rhodos.”

Ultraflex is an interdisciplinary collaboration between Farao (NO) and Special-K (IS) and today they are sharing their new single & video “Rhodos“, which showcases another glimpse of their playful disco-pop. 

“Rhodos” is an ode to Northern European tourists partying in the South of Europe (Mallorca, Ibiza, Rhodes etc.) It honours pink beer bellies, Smirnoff Ice and the smell of aftersun and is inspired by Ultraflex’s own experience of getting liquor poured straight into their mouths by flexing bartenders at a time in their lives when belly rings and miss sixty jeans were of the utmost importance.

The track is accompanied by a jeggings and jewels filled music video filmed in Greece, directed by Sigurlaug Gisladottir. In the words of the band, “‘Rhodos’ was written in deep pandemic, when we were desperately craving to party. Longing after people yelling in our ears, everyone bumping into each other, stepping on our toes and the sensation of cold beer flowing down our backs. Writing Rhodos immediately transported us to a hot and sticky beach, a place we loved and loathed equally.”

Listen to & watch “Rhodos” here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_hPlYDuiRt4

Ultraflex released their saucy debut album Visions of Ultraflex was released in 2020 to critical and popular acclaim, winning The Icelandic Music Awards 2021 for ‘Best Electronic Album’ and Kraumur Award for ‘Best Album’, besides collecting additional international nominations. Ultraflex places equal value on sounds, lyrics and visual representation – music videos or experimental films are made to every single song.

Ultraflex’s sound is inspired by the disco, italo and funk of the 80’s, blending it with new-age sensibilities, unexpected jazz chords and melodic twists. The result is a catchy, contemporary whirlwind of dance floor weirdness, nodding to their ancestors in the historical lineage of spectacular electronic music. The duo’s material is simultaneously kitsch and conceptual, filtered through contemporary pop culture. Ultraflex creates their own brand new lotion carefully tailored to your needs.

Keep your mind open.

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[Thanks to Frankie at Stereo Sanctity.]

Ultraflex are bringing up “Baby” with their new single (and for real, too!).

Flamboyant twosome Ultraflex, the project of Norway’s Farao & Iceland’s Special-K, are back with their suave yet punchy love song “Baby“, which follows on from their debut album release in 2020 and recent single “Relax“.

The lyrics in “Baby” liken dancefloor-flirtation to a duel; you have nothing to lose except perhaps your reputation (which is, admittedly, long lost). The narrator claims not to be afraid – which, honestly, sounds like a lie – however, bravery is not about fearlessness, but as John Wayne put it: “courage is being scared to death, but saddling up anyway”. Accompanying the song are never-before-seen wedding photos of the band (including a future baby) and a steaming hot music video, straight out of Cairo’s nightlife.

Speaking about the track, the band said:

“Although the song is about romantic endeavours, we realised afterwards that it is also about our artistic collaboration. It emphasises the importance of taking risks (otherwise “you’ve already lost”) and indicates that whatever happens tomorrow, we’ve got each other right now, and that’s what counts – the energy of the moment is worth whatever the future brings, whether it’s happy-ever-after or heartbreak.”

Watch & listen to “Baby” here: https://youtu.be/6Czkqmzp8a4

Ultraflex released their debut album ‘Visions of Ultraflex’ to popular and critical acclaim in 2020, winning the Icelandic Music Awards for ‘electronic album of the year’ and The Kraumur Award, along with numerous international nominations and selling out their first edition of vinyls and cassettes. 

The band also recently re-emerged with their single “Relax“, accompanied by an ASMR inspired music video that was said to have been “a little disturbing“.

With concert options being limited in the time around Visions of Ultraflex, the band instead prepared a highly visual promo package and sculpted a well curated yet wild internet presence. Music videos were made to every song on the album, either by the band themselves or in collaboration with other video artists (including a video trilogy in collaboration with OKAY KAYA). This quickly became an important part of Ultraflex’s identity, along with heavily choreographed, stylized and visually interactive concerts. 

During the pandemic, Ultraflex performed on Icelandic live Television, as well as playing ​a sold out show in Reykjavík, doing a live stream for Berlin’s CTM Festival, a commissioned piece for Oslo Classics, screened a short film at Eurosonic and last but not least  – played a packed concert in Cairo. That is where the music video to “Baby” was born. 

Ultraflex was elected to be a part of Keychange 2022. Through the organisation they will play at MaMa Festival in Paris and take part in conferences in London and Hamburg this year. They are also booked for Iceland Airwaves and Vienna Waves and are playing in Berlin on April 23rd. Later this year, Ultraflex will also tour in Norway, Germany, England and Iceland. 

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Keep your mind open.

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[Thanks to Frankie at Stereo Sanctity.]

Top 35 albums of 2020: #’s 20 – 16

We’re into the top 20 albums of 2020 (out of the nearly 80 new albums I reviewed last year). Who made the cut? Read on…

#20: Matt Karmil – STS371

This EDM record is full of throbbing bass, oil slick beats, and ambient / psychedelic synths. It works its way under your skin and moves your bones.

#19: Ultraflex – Visions of Ultraflex

Cover that looks like a 1980s New Age CD? Check. Synthwave keyboards that could fit right into a sci-fi film? Check. Sexy Replicant vocals? Check. Visions of Ultraflex manages to be both a neat synthwave album and one of the best make-out records of 2020 at the same time.

#18: Oh Sees – Metamorphosed

This album is “only” five tracks in length, and the first three are under two minutes each. The other two, however, make up for the rest of the album’s time length of over forty minutes. It’s a mix of punk rockers and prog-psych-krautrock jams that shows how deftly Oh Sees can move back and forth between styles.

#17: Holy Wave – Interloper

Holy Wave came back with a fine addition to their catalogue. Interloper blends psychedelia with some shoegaze and surf elements and is full of songs about not fitting in or being comfortable anywhere. That alone could sum up 2020.

#16: Oh Sees – Live at Big Sur

Yes, two Oh Sees albums in this list. Live at Big Sur was their second live-streamed show of 2020. They played at the Henry Miller Library and dove deep into their back catalogue to play stuff they hadn’t played live in years. The encore was a barrage of covers, many of them Black Flag tunes.

We’re over halfway through the list! Come back tomorrow for more!

Keep your mind open.

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Review: Ultraflex – Visions of Ultraflex

Consisting of electronic / disco / synth / dream-pop musicians Farao and Special-K, Ultraflex create music that seems ingrained into your DNA if you grew up on late night cable access TV, VHS culture, and 1980s workout classes. That exercise esthetic is prominent throughout their debut album, Visions of Ultraflex, and even their live performances (which often have them doing aerobics to their own music).

I mean, the first track is called “Get Fit,” and is perfect for a warm-up yoga session. The band’s name is the most repeated line in the song when they’re not encouraging you to “Get fit, get ripped, get a lover, get kids.” The electro-drums and sexy, breathy vocals of “Work Out Tonight” would make Janet Jackson envious. The electro-poppy “Papaya” might be about naughty bits. The saxophone throughout it is reminiscent of many Cinemax late night film scores.

“Never Forget My Baby” blooms like the theme to a Saturday morning talk show that focuses on fitness, exotic locations, and hot trends in dating. The vocals echo around your bedroom and produce the perfect atmosphere for making out. “Man U Sheets” sounds like the name of a naughty He-Man villain, and that seductive saxophone and sexy synths are more powerful than a Charm Person spell cast by Evil-Lyn.

“Olympic Sweat” is synthwave bliss. It’s like floating on a cool stream after you’ve been in a sauna with your lover. “You’re not really my type, but this is your lucky night,” they sing on the cheeky and delightful “Slave to Your Crush” – which is filled with bright synths, electro-pop beats, and a sense of fun missing in a lot of dance music. The closer, “Secret Lover,” sounds like something Prince wrote down after a wet dream. The electro-phat bass, 1980s fashion show synths, and near-industrial beats are great combination.

I hope these two ladies keep putting out records, because this one is superb. They have a future as bright as their synths ahead of them with a debut album this good.

Keep your mind open.

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[Thanks to Frankie at Stereo Sanctity.]