ako (6)

ako (a.k.a. Simeon Soden) is a North East-based electronic musician, producer, and performer who blends vaporwave influences with experimental dance music. His performances are an audiovisual experience, incorporating creative coding, modified game consoles, VHS manipulation, analogue video equipment, and CGI. He often repurposes obsolete tech as a statement against hyper-consumerism.

ako’s music has been released through international labels (including Business Casual, Halcyon Tapes, the Tidal Charm and Sunset Grid) and featured on BBC 6 Music, NTS Radio, Spotify's official editorial playlists, Tom Robinson’s ‘Fresh on the Net,’ and BandCamp Daily. He founded Kaneda Records, Northern Electric Festival, and Linebreak Records (the world’s first cryptocurrency label as part of his PhD research) and Green Blade Tapes (a recycled cassette label). In 2021, ako was commissioned to produce a remix for ‘Eyeliner’ (aka Luke Rowell / Disasteradio) as part of a project and new collection by New Zealand National library. In 2024 he was an Artist in Residence at the Glasshouse International Centre for Music where he composed and produced his newest album. He’s also a member of BDGR (formerly Badger), a collaborative spoken word, no wave and noise pop project who’ve had a track remixed by Andrew Fearn (Sleaford Mods). He has toured internationally, including a recent tour of the Netherlands with BDGR and notable performances at Glasshouse and the O2 Academy Glasgow

Simeon Soden studied Music Technology at Birmingham Conservatoire and has a Masters in Music (Newcastle University). He is currently a PhD student, awarded an NPIF/AHRC research grant to explore new, fairer forms of music distribution using Blockchain technology at SAGE, Gateshead and Sunderland University.