Ekulu Unscrewed

A couple year ago I checked out the two 7 inches from Ekulu and I got hooked on them pretty hard. The EP format was the perfect way to get introduced to the band, and it left me wanting more. When I heard they were releasing an album this year, I wondered if they could sustain that level of excitment across a full LP.

To be honest, Unscrew My Head fell a little flat for me on the first listen. I'm not sure why, because with repeat listens I'm liking this record more and more. With the drum and bass intro on the opening track, Becoming/New Life Jam, it sets the tone with some serious Cro-Mags Best Wishes vibes and it carries across the entire album. Fuck, this is great. Such a nice surprise, and depending on how the year shapes up it could be one of my favorites for the year.

Ekulu released the album on Cash Only Records and I was completely in the dark on it. I don't think that I was aware that it was available until Triple B announced that they had some copies in their store, and by then black vinyl was the only option left. At the time, I wasn't happy about it, but I took it. In the end, I'm glad that I grabbed it when I did as the record is now sold out everywhere and asshole hardcore kids are looking to beef up their corporate america resumes by showing everyone that they only care about the dollar signs and listing them up on Discogs for $80 or more (colored vinyl is going to cost you triple digits though, with one new seller listing a red vinyl pressing at $600). Good luck with your bitcoin and Wall Street trades you fucks. Die.

Half Alive, Full Ekulu

Last year, I posted on Instagram about how I thought that the Mindforce album was most likely going to end up as my Record Of The Year for hardcore. A couple of people took the time to comment that they liked some band named Ekulu even more. I'd never heard of them, so I quickly checked out a song from their 7 inch that year, but it didn't really do much for me, so I shrugged my shoulders and moved on.

In 2019, Ekulu delivered their follow up 7 inch, Half Alive. While I was adding new records to my Triple B cart, I figured that it couldn't hurt to give the band another chance. I queued up one of their new songs, and immediately I was feeling it. Yes! This time things were clicking, and before that song was done, I was already adding a copy of the new record to the cart.

Oh man, this two song 7 inch is so good. It hits hard, and reminds me of the Power Trip album from a couple years back. I love it.

Because I was late to the party, I missed the most limited pressing of this. 300 pressed on olive green colored vinyl.

Since I was loving the Half Alive EP, I figured that I'd go back and check out that first 7 inch again. Now that I was in the right frame of mind, I was enjoying this record quite a bit more. It isn't going to come close to that Mindforce album, but it is still really good. I'm glad that I finally got hooked on this one.

500 pressed on clear purple colored vinyl.