SNACKS SONOROS #20: ULTRA_EKO – REVELATION.

Ultra_eko is an independent hip-hop artist from South London, UK. His turbulent life story has shaped him into a masterful storyteller and street poet with a sharp tongue and steady flow. From bootlegging beer in France, smuggling cigarettes through Europe, to working as a professional gambler and running a market stall, his life on the edge has pushed him between additions and spiritual awakenings. This has all culminated in making music and writing as a means of escape, and inner transformation and understanding.

Having studied both creative writing and psychology, his rich narratives reflect the struggle of ordinary men and those opportunities to grow and change. He has been drawing the attention of fans around the world in recent years, not least for the unparalleled storytelling and musical inventiveness shown in his music. He has only been releasing music since 2019, but in that time has proved incredibly prolific, producing one EP and three full-length albums. His latest work, and fourth album ‘Revelation’, released June 25th, is his best yet. A hip-hop masterpiece, a sprawling, nineteen-track epic that centres itself on themes such as religion, war, consumerism, free will and advertising, to name just a few. Completed in just eight weeks, and with his trusted producer, ‘Subsequel’ at the helm, to oversee and engineer each mix, ‘Revelation’ emerges as a true lockdown release, one that confronts dark themes with sharp wit, heavy flow, and some of the most captivating narratives ever put to music.

‘Revelation’ is a pivotal release for Ultra_eko, one that sees him blurring the lines between his old, rawer style and the expansive, eclectic styling of his recent remix album, ‘Into the Multiverse’. Fittingly, it’s an album of multiple sides, tones, and characters, one that picks at different genres, styles, and eras, stitching them together with a keen ear and plenty of rap prowess.

Throughout the nineteen tracks, there is so much on display and so many different styles, but he brings it all together with a constant delivery, standout lyrics, and perfectly balanced beats that provide a perfect stage for his lessons and revelations. Ambitious, but perfectly done, it’s Ultra_eko at his most present, potent, and pervasive. and this project more than ever presents that unparalleled escapism that is the heart of what Ultra creates.