At the outset,
UKO's self-titled debut could easily be lost in the redundant stacks of dub-heavy trip-hop, patiently waiting to find a home in the stereo systems of hipster boutiques and restaurants. Then suddenly Tania Saedi's R&B vocal on "Automatic" pushes itself to the foreground, and
UKO is no longer relegated to mere audio wallpaper. From there,
UKO plays hide and seek with listeners. The rubber-band sub-sonics of "Pollo" bounce right in your face, though the digital cycle of "Troubleshooter" dissipate into the background. Worse is hearing Saedi's grabbing vocal abilities squandered as sample fodder on later cuts, "Little Trix" and "Mothership." Despite relying too heavily on machine-set-to-groove methods of production,
UKO does offer a few moments that smack you out of downtempo complacency. And that alone sets it ahead of the pack. ~ Joshua Glazer