Even in the year 2016, the going is still tough. In »Reflection« the dry, pulling the trigger noises bring the memory of the bygone days of Dubstep to a crashing thud, with which Zomby commemorates his beginnings, coinciding with his 2008 »Zomby EP«, his first solo release on Hyperdub With »Ultra«, his first LP for the label Kode9, the disguised producer has moved a few abstraction levels further. Digital arpeggios shimmer away, usually without significant beat-additions. The structural elements of the tracks are still there, however, they have pretty much broken away from any club-connection. Zomby has taken himself a little more time for the individuals numbers. On »Ultra«, there are a few two minute tracks, where he has done away with the very short fragments. Instead, there is a notable collaboration with label colleagues such as Burial with whom Zomby puts rudimentary beat rhythms underneath a voice sample, which seems to consist of the words »Yeah me fucked up«. Later, distorted steel drums are added, which fit perfectly in to the mood of refined refuse. In »HER« ambient flowing synthesizer planes unfold, and »Quandary«, recorded together with Darkstar interweaves strong-syncopes and orbiting figures into a discreet polyrhythmic network, which one with even a little bit of good will could dance to. That may or may not be an icy farewell – as a musical statement, »Ultra« is so clearly articulated, that it could once again be the start of something new.
Ultra
