In Bala Club—a club night, label, and collective of friends making twisted electronic music in London—Uli K is very much the quiet one. Often at Bala Club nights, Uli will come on before their younger brother Kamixlo shreds the dancefloor with boisterous reggaeton, and before friend Endgame plays a rowdy, angular set. Uli's vibe is much softer, singing in both Spanish and English over dreamy, melodic productions—but they're not without their sharp edges, too.
On the self-released new EP Elusivo, the singer-producer plays knowingly with that contrast, matching beautiful sounds with a dark undercurrent. Take lead single "Fix Up," produced by Berlin-based STAYCORE crew member Mechatok, which sounds like a delicate lullaby but pleads, I just wanna be okay/ Fix up. Then there's "Drifting," with London singer-producer Malibu and OG Swedish sad boy Yung Lean, where the trio trade bittersweet verses about depression over a beat that's part twinkling synths, part cavernous void.
"This EP is a documentation of how I've been trying to cope with a severely broken heart, as well as trying to come to terms with my gender and overall identity," Uli told The FADER over email. "It's about an angel that gave me strength and helped me grow, but now has left me alone. The main reason I'm releasing this EP is for closure on this situation. So I can finally let go. Every word is honest and real, there are no exaggerations. It's me snitching on myself—reading my diary out loud."
For more on Bala Club, revisit Kamixlo's Gen F profile.
