"Ebi Soda drop a major gem with the arrival of their ethereal and electric, dance-inspired album Ugh." Okayplayer
"Shifting between breakbeats and loping tempos, the quintet beams out melodies like wide smiles." Bandcamp Daily
"Scorching funk-leaning jazz with plenty of left field influences'' Clash
"Ebi Soda continue to make their mark as one of today’s most forward-thinking new jazz bands." Twistedsoul
"Lively, frenetic tunes that will work the dancefloor, through to more meditative, cosmic psychedelia. Absolute killer!" Sounds Of The Universe
Following the aptly named 'Bedroom Tapes' EP comes 'Ugh', a collection of tunes from Ebi Soda's first ventures into professional recording. The band have made sure to carry their DIY-centric identity with them, creating a beautifully produced record with the band's raw energy still at the forefront. Explosive drum grooves and heavy usage of electronic effects characterise the fluid jams we hear on 'Ugh', with the project's opener 'Ecchi' setting the tone straight away, as the song moves from upbeat dance-y rhythms to a nightmare-inducing dub soundscape. Features come from regular collaborators and friends, NW London singer-songwriter Chloé Bodur on the Trump-diss ‘Run For President’ and J Harli on the radiant ‘Summer One’.
The ten-track project was recorded over a year from numerous different sessions, leading it to carry an air of sporadicity to it, with its genre-switching nature leading the band to consider it more of a mixtape than an album. Ebi Soda seek to surprise and alarm listeners with this project. This Bonus Edition repress of ‘Ugh’ on limited edition yellow vinyl features unreleased dubs from intergalactic sound dealer Ash Walker, who meets Ebi Soda in the echo chamber.
The repress is fresh from the release of their sophomore full-length album ‘Honk If You’re Sad’, a record described as “hard-jamming, mercurial beat-jazz for the internet-brained” and was praised by The Vinyl Factory, Clash, Jamz Supernova (BBC 1Xtra), Jamie Cullum (BBC Radio 2) and many more, including entering the Jazz Charts on Spotify. ’Honk If You’re Sad’ stayed true to Ebi’s DIY foundations while bringing more ambitious experimentation, technical mastery and a stellar lineup of guest players, including Yazz Ahmed, Deji Ijishakin and Dan Gray. The band have been relentlessly touring around the UK and Europe, with standout shows at festivals like Lost Village, Secret Garden Party, Shambala and Love Supreme, as well as headlining Tru Thoughts' Jazz Cafe label takeover.
