He’s already one of Australia’s most prolific producers, but at Ukiyo gears up to release his self-titled album this November, latest single “The Middle” proves that the world of electronic music is in good hands.
The musical moniker of Tim Arnott, Ukiyo shared “The Middle” last week as the latest taste of his forthcoming self-titled album. A smooth, euphoric slice of ambient electronica, the track utilises the talents of Panama to deliver a mesmerising anthem in the style of Tourist or Jon Hopkins.
“‘The Middle’ is all about meeting in ‘the middle’,” Ukiyo explains. “The original demo when I sent it to Panama was called ‘stay’ which I thought was a funny little response to my previous track ‘Go’ with Chymes. They both discuss similar themes of dysfunctional relationships & the fight within when you’re trying to leave them.
“Working with Panama was a dream come true. His Always EP way back in 2013 with all the amazing remixes on it was one of the things that got me absolutely hooked on electronic music & learning how to make it so this song is a bit of a full circle moment.”
The track also comes accompanied by a music video, created with production company Black Lake, which contextualises not only the track’s themes, but Ukiyo’s own name as well.
“‘Ukiyo’ translates literally as ‘floating world’, so this video is a little homage to that,” he explains. “It also continues the themes of the Good Enough music video, comparing human relationships to our relationship with the Earth.”
“The Middle” is set to appear alongside a number of tracks on Ukiyo’s debut album, which is on track to be released on November 13th. Featuring the likes of Maribelle, Janeva, Sammi Constantine, and Bajilionaire, the record serves as a celebration of the exceptional local scene Ukiyo finds himself a part of.
“I’m absolutely in love with the Australian music scene so in the unique position I’m in as a producer, I knew I wanted my album to be a showcase of some of the incredible talent we’ve got here,” he explains.
Ukiyo’s “The Middle” is out now, while his self-titled debut album is released on November 13th, with pre-saves and pre-orders available now.
