'Ultimatum' marks the triumphant return of the outstanding young electronic music duo Disclosure. Skilfully flipping an energetic sample from Malian musician, Fatoumata Diawara, 'Ultimatum' makes up for lost time with its blissful summer sound.
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It has been a long two and a half years for fans of electronic music duo Disclosure. Since the release of the outstanding Caracal in September 2015, the Surrey-based brothers, Guy and Howard Lawrence, have released only a short EP in 2016 and have been on a year-long hiatus since 2017. Therefore, last week’s release of new track ‘Ultimatum’, and the confirmation of a third album arriving in 2019, has sparked Disclosure fans from their extensive hibernation.
‘Ultimatum’ is everything we have come to expect from Disclosure. Combining a sparkling sample from Malian artist Fatoumata Diawara with a relentlessly chilled house beat, funky synths and an ethereal glaze, this is the perfect encapsulation of summer bliss. Their trademark relaxed electronic sounds shines through clearly whilst being surrounded by an eclectic mix of signature quirks and distortions. The plucking of a relatively unknown artist to feature on the track is a trend which has characterised the duo’s work from the very beginning. ‘Ultimatum’ is no different, with 36-year-old Diawara taking centre stage with her verses sang entirely in French and to great effect.
On the whole, ‘Ultimatum’ is an extremely encouraging sign ahead of their upcoming third album. Showing no signs of rust from their extended break, Disclosure have exhibited that their knack for making outstanding dance music has not waned one bit. With both of their first two albums being nominated for Grammy Awards, topping the UK album charts and selling hundreds of thousands of copies, expectation is high. ‘Ultimatum’ suggests that this musical duo will have no problem matching and exceeding the hype.
‘Ultimatum’ is out now via Universal Music.
