Part-electronic label, part-metaphysical visual art duo, Ultramajic is a force driven by like-minded creatives and fueled off of post-digital new ageism. Together, founders Jimmy Edgar and Pilar Zeta create album artwork that drives each release, but they are still very much defined as a music label.
The Creators Project caught up with Edgar to try to wrap our brains around exactly how one couple can produce this much magic. Remembering the moment of the label’s conception, he tells us, “It all started in December 2012, during a trip in South America, that was meant to be a trip to disconnect, a somewhat mystical experience. We were driving to this area where the locals see mysterious lights called “the portal to the 5th dimensions,” and in one moment I just said “We are going to start a label.”
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In working together, the two find balance in their histories with both music and art. “We both have art direction experience from all sorts of projects including installations, fashion, photography, etc. Pilar comes from a graphic design background, so she applies this sense of form and balance to everything. My background is related more to technique and refining since I studied painting, airbrushing, color and fashion photo retouching. So, when we work together we have a great flow because we both bring something different to the table.” Edgar explains, “We always work on the artwork together in person. We generally go in with an idea but it’s a constant balance of researching and putting objects together. I am the one that usually directs the story of the project and the symbolic objects. My strive is to always have the artwork make sense, even if it is bizarre and subconscious.”
Edgar tells The Creators Project, “I always say that the music has nothing to do with the art. Yet, it is becoming one that inspires each other. We specifically created the label so we could meld two worlds together; two worlds that had nothing to do with each other. I think we are rebranding a lot of new age and metaphysical ideas, just because we are really interested in those topics. We love anything futuristic, iridescent or holographic and spectral color gradients.”
In the visual work Ultramajic produces and the sounds that they put out, there is no doubt that something otherworldly’s going on. Edgar explains, “I have a big collection of books on symbolism. I am obsessed with the idea of the fourth dimension being a place for dreams, and with that, the archetypes and symbolism that tell a story is fascinating. I’m not a physicist, but I love quantum physics. I don’t know if the astral world is really the 4th dimension, but that’s how I usually refer to it.”
To date, Ultramajic has 28 releases and have managed to stay very consistent with what they are doing. “We work with a long list of artists including Jennifer Mehigan, Danny Daze, Chambray, Machinedrum, Matrixxman and lots more. Most recently we signed a young football star from Atlanta Georgia, Reggie Johnson, a.k.a., KEENO18. I worked with him for almost two years to develop his project and its coming out Feb 19.” Edgar tells us, “It’s a cool story because he contacted us in regards to some experiences he had with extraterrestrials. A lot of the things we do have these amazing synchronicities to them, and we believe these situations are accessible to everyone as long as you find your passion and follow it with positive integrity.”
What sets Ultramajic apart is their focus, passion, and a team that believes in the vibe. It is apparent they put this energy into each release they put out. “I am constantly pushing to keep everything fresh and maintaining order, consistency. There aren’t many labels our size putting in the effort. The reason is because it’s not a big profit operation, we are doing this because we really enjoy it.” Edgar expresses, “As far as the music, we take great care in the sound of the label. My goal is to release music that has a concrete idea, fun, innovative. I mix most of the records in my studio on class-A mastering equipment so that the intention translates into the digital world. My intention for the label is so we can release anything we want, whether it’s dance music or not, and people will come to us for the next thing.”
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