E – Ecco2k
★ ★ ★ ★
Drain Gang member and all-around enigma Ecco2k delivers ‘E’, his first studio album. Hot off the back of releasing ‘Trash Island’ with fellow Drain Gang members Bladee and Thaiboy Digital, Ecco2k keeps his momentum on his latest project, going one further and delivering a bold take on pop music, and its increasingly close relationship with hip-hop.
Staying true to his artistic roots, Ecco2k keeps Drain Gang/Sadboys producers Gud and Whitearmor close, with the duo producing every song on the album, bar AAA Powerline and Fruit Bleed Juice, produced by Yves Tumor, an artist known for his eclectic industrial approach to pop music. The production is woozy and ethereal thanks to Gud and Whitearmor, but it is bolder and, at times, more abrasive than anything Ecco2k or Drain Gang have done before, thanks to Tumor’s work.
On ‘E’, Ecco2k flexes his artistic portfolio, singing airy, wispy melodies on AAA Powerline and Fruit Bleed Juice, whilst showcasing his rapping ability on tracks such as ‘Peroxide’ and ‘Cc’. Ecco2k is all about melody and feeling, both of which are abundant on this album, and with ‘E’, he shows the potential future for not only Drain Gang, but pop music as a genre.
Nicolas Murphy – Music Writer
