– New single Melting Away out now
– Ultraflex's sophomore album Infinite Wellness out October 7th 2022
Melting Away is Ultraflex's magnum opus. The final single from their upcoming album 'Infinite Wellness' is a patchwork quilt of references – in the intro Katrín whispers a sentence by the danish poet Tove Ditlevsen, made famous in Norway by singer Kari Bremnes. The first verse is heavily inspired by the short story 'The Husband Stitch' by author Carmen Maria Machado, and the chord progression is borrowed from Usher’s ‘Climax’. Guitarist Bjarni Daníel Þorvaldsson plays a delicious Spanish guitar solo in the song in the style of Enrique Iglesias, and in the end the track ended up as a seamless mashup between Spice Girls's masterpiece '2 Become 1' and Madonna's 'Live To Tell'.
Out of all the songs on the album, Melting Away had the most difficult birth. The song’s working title was 'Power Ballad' and every trick in the book was used to fulfill that name. Ultraflex had such high ambitions for it, it created an almost insurmountable obsession with perfection. About six different versions of the chorus were composed and as a result the structure is quite unconventional.
The music video is directed by visual artist Kristín Helga Ríkharðsdóttir.
Press photos available HERE
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Ultraflex
'Infinite Wellness'
Release date: October 7th 2022
Label: Street Pulse Records
Catalogue no: SP010
Formats: Digital / Vinyl (via Rush Hour) / Cassette
Track list:
1. Relax
2. Baby
3. Mi Vuoi (feat. Kuntessa)
4. Melting Away
5. Rhodos
6. Ultrasex
7. Under The Spell
8. Run
Artwork by Gréta Þorkels
Ultraflex’s new album Infinite Wellness is naughty. Are you really allowed to combine a horny saxophone solo with a relentless eurodance beat, steel drums and shameless moaning? No, that is not ok. Neither is putting a melodramatic spanish guitar solo in an excessivly erotic power ballad, nor ending a whole album on a loud gong. Which is precisely why they’ve done it. Ultraflex aren’t interested in being good girls, but rather to explore what they can get away with - relying on faux innocence and devious charm. And they do get away with it all thanks to the immaculately pristine production that drapes the whole thing in glossy sophistication.
Pulling inspiration from all sorts of juxtaposing sources, Infinite Wellness is Usher to Albinoni, a mashup of disco, R&B, 80’s synth pop, Italian 70’s film music and eurodance, with some references to jazz and classical music. On top of all of this are cheeky lyrics sung in breathy vocals or spoken in a way they call ‘club rap’.
An important layer to Ultraflex’s music is their flamboyant visual identity. In their videos they’re flaunting things like fringed bikini tops and jeggings or doing tandem housework in full gala get-up. The high note of the album is the evident friendship behind the music – you can vividly imagine the pair grinning in the studio while whispering a sensual Norwegian quote or adding secretly recorded party conversations. Their exhilarating playfulness welcomes you into their intimacy and lets you in on their secrets while inviting you to dance!
Bio:
Ultraflex’s sound is inspired by the disco, italo and funk of the 80’s, blending it with new-age sensibilities, unexpected jazz chords and melodic twists. The result is a catchy, contemporary whirlwind of dance floor weirdness, nodding to their ancestors in the historical lineage of spectacular electronic music. The duo’s material is both kitsch and high concept – pushed through a contemporary pop culture filter Ultraflex creates their own brand new lotion carefully tailored to your needs.
Debut album Visions of Ultraflex was released in 2020 to critical and popular acclaim, winning both The Icelandic Music Awards 2021 for 'Best Electronic Album' and Kraumur Awards for 'Best Album', besides collecting nominations to additional international awards. Ultraflex places equal value on sounds, lyrics and visual representation - music videos or experimental films are made to every single song. Ultraflex is shiny and dirty at the same time.
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They seem to be so in-sync—both musically and aesthetically—it’s hard to imagine any other pair producing the music and videos that Ultraflex does. It’s a rare thing to find that kind of connection; we should all be so lucky.
They know they’re brimming with confidence and class, and they sashay through the trilling tones and bumping beats of “Baby” with supreme confidence – and we are powerless to resist.
However, the official music video for ‘Relax’ is a little disturbing to the music. I’m not sure if the imagery shown is a foot fetish, 70s erotica or a homage to the popular ‘satisfying videos’ on YouTube. (...) If you can handle all of those things, then go ahead and check out the visual work. Maybe not at work, your colleagues may think you’re strange.
For more information please contact Ultraflex
Press UK: Fred Parry at Hypha Creative
Radio UK + EU: Oisín Meehan at Hypha Creative
Press Germany: Gregori Menendez at Modern Matters
Booking worldwide: Ben Haslett at Earth Agency