There’s been a wave of artists that’ve been influenced both the sound and aesthetic of the Y2K era. Most use it as a gimmick to help push their music further into the subconscious of the public, but then there’s savvier musicians like Ethan Uno who uses this era as guide for his creativity, not a solution. Mixing bubblegum beats with lofi hip hop melodies and a scintillating DnB undertone, Ethan Uno puts himself firmly in the modern era whilst giving nods to the past.
With the majority of his tracks being under 2 minutes in length, Uno makes sure his music is something you can go back to over, and over, and over again. Filled with the confidence of a seasoned musician, his discography contains adventurous songs where he slowly begins to push the capabilities of his artistic ingenuity. You get exciting rave bangers that would’ve thrived in the 90’s (I’m one more listen away from getting my glow sticks out), to acoustic numbers that demonstrate the stripped back side of his artistry. However, there’s one track that stands out amongst them all.
Pensando en ti has already had fans dubbing him the Hispanic Pink Pantheress and it’s clear to see why. The childlike vocals with a glittering underscore of shimmering beats, nostalgic songwriting, and Y2K references most people would say it feels inauthentic, but they couldn’t be further from the truth. There’s something oddly genuine about this. It sits in a digital paradise but has a hand crafted feel to it, no matter how good the machine is you can’t beat the hands on approach. The more I listen, the more I become addicted to his Hispanic take on the Y2K era.
His name couldn’t describe his music better, Ethan Uno is number 1.