yeule’s new single “eko” is a hauntingly addictive exploration of obsession, love, and the echoes of the self. With hypnotic beats and raw, introspective lyrics, the track invites listeners into the artist’s cyberpop dreamscape.
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Stream: “eko” – yeule
yeule, a nonbinary multidisciplinary artist from Singapore, teases fans with “eko,” a captivating glimpse into the alternative, cyberpop sounds of their next album.
The single, released on October 23rd, was co-produced with Chris Greatti – a continuation of the alt-pop sound that the duo explored on yeule’s most recent album, softscars. In a recent interview on The Zane Lowe Show, yeule described “eko” as a song about obsession and love, with “their voice[s] echoing in [their] head.” They also pointed to the track’s “electronica melodica” style, aiming to create an immersive and catchy sound that invites listeners to play it “like a broken record.”
Known for blending ethereal electronic sounds, gritty guitars, airy vocals, and emotionally charged lyrics, Nat Ćmiel has been creating music under the project name yeule since 2014. Their work also extends beyond music into painting and performance art, creating a multifaceted creative world that feels as immersive as it is introspective.
The artist recently entered the spotlight with the track “Anthems for a Seventeen-Year-Old Girl,” created for the film I Saw the TV Glow. This song has become a poignant soundtrack for transgender individuals documenting their journeys on social platforms like TikTok – something yeule deeply understands as a nonbinary artist. Often referring to themselves as a “cyborg entity,” yeule highlights a dual existence between worlds, an idea woven into both the lyrics and soundscape of “eko.”
“eko” opens with a muffled, reverb-laden whisper that immediately draws listeners into a dreamlike space. yeule’s opening words capture this haunting presence:
Acid tripping, silver spinning,
scrape inside my head
She’s living, breathing unreal being
who lives inside my head
These lyrics, repeated throughout the song, hint at a surreal, almost psychedelic journey through the speaker’s mind, where a figure – a lover, muse, an alter ego, or perhaps the literal personification of obsession – both thrives and decays. This figure haunts yeule’s psyche by combining beauty and darkness into a single, captivating force.
After these opening lines, a sweet, fluttery beat kicks in, adding an unexpectedly poppy contrast. This upbeat rhythm evokes a sense of cheerfulness, counterbalanced by the weight of yeule’s lyrics as they continue:
All this time, always I find
she’s rotting, crystal, diamond, shining
Flying, finding, all your crying,
trauma, shaking, shining, darling
yeule juxtaposes a sense of allure with the act of deterioration, reinforcing the song’s otherworldly image of someone – or something – that’s captivating yet damaging. Twinkling synths, a solid beat, and warm electric guitar tones converge, while yeule’s breathy vocals bind it all together in a hypnotic, almost entrancing, pop symphony. This trance-like effect might well be intentional, as yeule draws listeners into the hypnotic pull of the voice in their head.
The chorus cleverly uses repetition to create a catchy, upbeat sound while embodying the resonance of this force in yeule’s mind. The song reaches its peak danceability here:
And she echo, oh-oh-oh-oh
Echo, oh-oh-oh-oh
Oh, she echoes in my
And she echo, oh-oh-oh-oh
Oh-oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh
Inside my head, ah-ha-haa
Oh, she echoes in my
As the chorus ends, the arrangement builds in anticipation of a climactic beat drop, only to retreat into a stripped-back bass line punctuated by a raw, muffled scream – an eerie reminder of the internal struggle playing out.
The later verses delve deeper into the toll this presence takes on yeule:
Aching, she makes me so mental
Her brutal, cruel, dark ritual
Mythical disturbing magic
Loner-lover, ends so tragic
Miserable in her rubble
Broken marble, castle crumble
Diamond tiara crushed in two
My heaven crashes down for you
Here, yeule personifies obsession and love as mythical and ritualistic – an ongoing cycle that leads to isolation and suffering. Left “miserable in her rubble,” they convey the aftermath of this intense internal battle, evoking imagery of a fantasy shattered to suggest the collapse of something idealized.
As the song draws to a close, the instrumentation fades, leaving only a piano and yeule’s light, ethereal voice to deliver the final lines:
Cruel cut of meat
you eat out of me
Scarlet marble floor,
fall down below me
These closing words are intensely visceral, brutally demonstrating the emotional toll of obsession. Despite its heavy themes, “eko” exemplifies exactly why yeule resonates so strongly with listeners – they’re unflinchingly real, addressing internal struggles that many would avoid. This approach is reminiscent of Ethel Cain, another transgender artist known for using dark imagery and lyrics to explore complex themes within their music.
Beyond its emotional authenticity, yeule’s music stands out for its irresistible catchiness and intricate production.
While electronic music has surged in popularity as of late, yeule brings a fresh twist by incorporating rock and alternative influences, evoking the textures of genres such as shoegaze and noise rock. Their music bears sonic resemblances to other genre-blending artists and pioneers like SOPHIE, Caroline Polachek, and Yves Tumor.
Having opened for Charli XCX in 2022, yeule channels a similar electronic-pop energy, but with a darker, more experimental edge. With Charli XCX’s brat achieving massive mainstream success, yeule’s innovative style and talent displayed on “Eko” may hint that a similar breakthrough may be on the horizon. Until then, fans eagerly await the release of their 2025 album.
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Stream: “eko” – yeule
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