It’s not often that an album lulls you into a reverie with its opening track and keeps you there for the entire runtime, but that’s exactly what Gozie Ukaga’s debut full-length album “COLOR” achieves with its easygoing beats and ethereal soundscapes. With a quiet release in late 2024, this ten-track project is an 18-minute journey through ambient pop, synth minimalism, and vocal intimacy.
Gozie’s debut musical project was an EP titled “SHADE,” released back in 2019. COLOR builds upon the groundwork laid back then, but also captures Gozie’s journey as an artist. As a more mature writer and producer, Gozie refines his sonic palette with confidence, and is not afraid to put out tracks like “Hue,” which clocks in under 30 seconds, yet never feels incomplete.
The lead single, “Shade,” is just a piano solo with synth backing that sets the tone for the album with its ambient textures. With its sustained chords, the listener is drawn into a world where silence is as crucial as sound.
“Interstate Ninety Four” is the first full-length track with vocals and introduces soft trap beats under layers of atmosphere, evoking late-night drives and introspective detours. Gozie’s hushed vocals are just as mesmerizing as the accompaniment, and just draws you in with his introspective lyrics.
The production throughout the album is intentionally sparse with a few synths here and there, subtle percussion, and little else. This allows Gozie’s voice to carry the emotional weight of the record. This is exemplified on tracks like “Elipsis” and “Grudge” where feelings of melancholy and pain just hit you like a truck.
What makes COLOR so special is the way Gozie experiments with different sounds while still maintaining one cohesive vibe. On “Prism,” he flirts with experimental electronic soundscapes and autotuned vocals intentionally pitched to sound artificial. “Mixed Signals” follows up with a more classic rhythmic and beat-forward approach.
COLOR is a rare kind of debut: fully formed yet unafraid to take risks. Every track exists as a moment, a fragment of a larger emotional narrative, and the brevity becomes part of the storytelling itself. Gozie not only releases an album, but curates a full musical experience for quiet nights and reflective moods.
ONLINE:
https://www.gozieukaga.com/
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