E (Ecco2K album)

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E
White cover with a large estimated sign in the center. Small texts of the track list and release date line the top and bottom.
Studio album by
Ecco2K
Released27 November 2019
Length30:23
LabelYear0001
Producer
Ecco2K chronology
Trash Island
(2019) 		E
(2019) 		PXE
(2021)
Singles from E
  1. "AAA Powerline"
    Released: 2 February 2018
  2. "Fruit Bleed Juice"
    Released: 25 November 2019

E (stylized as an estimated sign, ℮) is the debut solo studio album by Swedish-British singer Ecco2K. A surprise album, it was released on 27 November 2019 through Year0001.

Background and production

Before the release of E, Ecco2K was known for his participation in other people's projects, including as a member of Drain Gang, as the creative director of Yung Lean and as the music video editor of Yves Tumor.[1][2]

E was recorded in Stockholm, Berlin, Los Angeles, London, Falun, and Bangkok.[3] Ecco2K described the winter of 2018, when the album was still in its early stages, as "a period of rapid growth and self-discovery";[4] he had just left his day job as a designer and photo retoucher at Eytys.[4][5] To record E, Ecco2K purposefully secluded himself from collaborators and friends. He described the process as "the first time where [he] started to get assisted".[4]

The album was executive-produced by Gud and Whitearmor.[4] It was preceded by singles "AAA Powerline" and "Fruit Bleed Juice", with the latter receiving a music video.[4] After the album's release, Ecco2K toured Europe.[6] On 29 January 2020, Arogundade released a music video "Peroxide",[6] which was recorded at the Lillgrund Wind Farm.[5] On 30 July, he released a music video for "Security!".[7]

Composition

Jordan Darville of The Fader described E as a "project of subliminal bangers", with a feel that was "regal-yet-desolate, like a marble sculpture of some unspeakable tragedy".[2] David Crone of AllMusic wrote that E consolidated the futuristic sound Ecco2K was developing that decade.[8] A writer from Dazed said that the album presents "a breezy take on contemporary pop", contrasting with Ecco2K's previous rap works.[9]

"Peroxide" is a futuristic pop song.[5] Thomas Sobolik of The Face wrote that the track "sets the stage for E's bracing self-portrayal".[4]

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
laut.de[10]
Pitchfork7.4/10[1]
The Needle Drop7/10[a]

Reviewing the album for Pitchfork, Nadine Smith gave a rating of 7.4/10 and stated that E "trades hip-hop for an expressive—and surprisingly pretty—take on contemporary pop," and that "[n]o longer just a below-the-line collaborator or background associate, on E [Ecco2K] finally steps into the spotlight".[1] Nöjesguiden writer Levi Hielle-Bergstrom said that "E is brilliant in its idiosyncrasy."[12] Zac Cazes wrote to The Quietus that E "does little to dispel the artist's sense of mystery".[13]

Track listing

E track listing
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."AAA Powerline"
Shanti4:12
2."Peroxide"
Gud3:34
3."Fragile"
  • Arogundade
  • Berlander
Gud2:53
4."Bliss Fields"
  • Arogundade
  • Berlander
Gud0:22
5."Fruit Bleed Juice"
  • Arogundade
  • Bowie
Shanti1:12
6."Cc"
2:34
7."Calcium"
  • Arogundade
  • Rosenberg
Whitearmor3:44
8."Sugar & Diesel"
  • Arogundade
  • Rosenberg
Whitearmor3:19
9."Don't Ask"
  • Arogundade
  • Rosenberg
Whitearmor2:20
10."Security!"
  • Arogundade
  • Timur Tokdemir
  • Mechatok
  • Gud
2:35
11."Time"
  • Arogundade
  • Berlander
Gud2:01
12."Blue Eyes"
  • Arogundade
  • Berlander
  • Rosenberg
Gud1:33
Total length:30:23
Physical edition bonus track
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
13."Life After Life"
  • Arogundade
  • Rosenberg
  • Whitearmor
  • Gud
2:22
Total length:32:45

Personnel

  • Gud – executive production, mixing
  • Robin Schmidt – mastering
  • Zak Arogundade – creative direction, art direction
  • Victor Svedberg – additional layouting
  • Daniel Sannwald – photography

Notes

  1. ^ Fantano gave it a "strong 6 to a light 7".[11]

References

  1. ^ a b c Smith, Nathan (6 January 2020). "Ecco2k: E Album Review". Pitchfork. Retrieved 3 February 2020.
  2. ^ a b Darville, Jordan (27 November 2019). "Listen to Ecco2k's debut album E". The Fader. Retrieved 3 February 2020.
  3. ^ Borrelli-Person, Laird (27 November 2019). "Swedish Musician Ecco2K Drops a Surprise Solo Album (and an Extreme New Look)". Vogue. Retrieved 19 October 2023.
  4. ^ a b c d e f Sobolik, Thomas (2 December 2019). "Ecco2K's second coming of age". The Face. Retrieved 8 September 2023.
  5. ^ a b c Dandridge-Lemco, Ben (2 June 2020). "Zak Arogundade, a Musician and Designer From Stockholm". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 8 September 2023.
  6. ^ a b Darville, Jordan (29 January 2020). "Ecco2k surveys a waterworld in the 'Peroxide' video". The Fader. Retrieved 6 January 2024.
  7. ^ Maicki, Salvatore (30 July 2020). "Ecco2k bathes in light in his new video for 'Security!'". The Fader. Retrieved 6 January 2024.
  8. ^ Crone, David. "Ecco2K Biography". AllMusic. Retrieved 6 January 2024.
  9. ^ "Drain is officially a genre: here are five Drain Gang albums to stream now". Dazed. 22 November 2022. Retrieved 25 October 2023.
  10. ^ Gölz, Yannik (28 November 2019). "Spannende Fusion aus Hip Hop und futuristischer Elektronik" [Exciting fusion of hip-hop and futuristic electronic]. laut.de (in German). Retrieved 4 May 2024.
  11. ^ Fantano, Anthony (13 December 2019). Ecco2K – E Album Review. The Needle Drop. Retrieved 29 April 2024 – via YouTube.
  12. ^ Hielle-Bergstrom, Levi (2 December 2019). "Ecco2k: E". Nöjesguiden. Retrieved 3 February 2020.
  13. ^ Cazes, Zac (13 January 2020). "Reviews: Ecco2k: E". The Quietus. Retrieved 3 February 2020.
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