OPIUO Turns Adversity Into Anthems on Stunning New Album, “Ascension Seeker”

The livetronica luminary threads deeply personal stories through his sixth album, which includes a song named after his youngest daughter.

Opiuo has unveiled his most ambitious album yet, Ascension Seeker, a 12-track journey through bold experimentation, raw emotion and the relentless pursuit of joy.

Picking up where his celebrated 2022 album A Shape of Sound left off, Ascension Seeker unfolds as an odyssey that blends both dancefloor heaters with fearless vulnerability. It’s an album that feels deeply personal and universally resonant, carrying listeners from high-energy anthems to introspective, cinematic moments.

Ascension Seeker captivates right from the start with its titular track, beautifully setting the tone. “MEKKE FLEX,” a collaboration with ProbCause and K+Lab, is an instant crowd-mover bursting with funky basslines and swaggering vocals.

“SATELLITE,” a collaboration with EDM.com Class of 2022 artist Wreckno, flips the script into playful territory, pairing bubbly textures with infectious vocal delivery. “SWAMP BELLY” grinds into darker, low-end territory while “MR. BREAKS” delivers a glitchy fever dream that showcases the inventive production chops of virtuosic producer Mr. Bill.

Elsewhere, the essence of Opiuo’s youngest daughter comes out in full force in “TALA ROCKET.” He said the track mirrors her “pure, real, enthusiasm for life.”

What elevates Ascension Seeker beyond the sum of its tracks is the story behind it. After a lifetime of ear surgeries and ultimately losing his hearing in one ear, Opiuo turned what could have been a devastating setback into a creative catalyst. Rather than letting adversity define him, he embraced it as fuel for innovation, trusting instinct over convention.

“I am half deaf. This is my story,” he penned in a vulnerable Instagram post, opening up about chronic ear issues since the age of five. “I’ve had my ear cut off & my skull opened multiple times – too many operations to count… I have a left ear canal without anything between the outside world & my middle ear, & I am now approx 95% deaf on that side.”

“There’s something inside a limitation that’s pushed me to go as far as I can,” he continues. “Potentially for fear of never knowing just how far I can go, incase I were to lose it all. I’ve called it my secret driving force, my motivation. I mix and master my music without visual metering, just trusting the one ear I do have left… Music is all about how it makes you feel, right?”

That resilient ethos threads through Ascension Seeker, transforming his hardship into clarity. Opiuo is now set to bring the album to life on an eponymous tour, which kicks off September 26th.

You can listen to Ascension Seeker below and the find the new album on streaming platforms here.