- The femme culture cofounder gears up for crossover success with an EP of hook-laden house music.
- Elkka's new record is all about pleasure. Euphoric Melodies zeroes in on what the femme culture cofounder describes as "those moments of elation when writing music, or listening to it, or just when living life." On this five-track EP for Ninja Tune's Technicolour label, she builds whole tracks around these moments, like she's capturing joy in a bottle. These tracks crackle with energy, repeating catchy hooks or motifs until they burrow into your mind. The first time this happens is in the opening track, "Burnt Orange," when Elkka introduces scatting vocals that sound like she has spontaneously started singing along to her own track. It's infectious, and the good vibes will probably win you over, just like the rest of Euphoric Melodies.
All over the EP, Elkka's voice is prominent alongside the music, from the simple "call me!" chants on the dizzy closer, "Morning Fuzz," to the nonchalant indie rock delivery of "Flowers," whose hazy production and drifting vocals remind me of bands like Broken Social Scene. These moments draw a throughline to Elkka's history as a singer-songwriter, before she dipped her toes into the dance music world, and they're what makes her music head-turning from the moment you hear it. Even a more straightforward dance cut like "Euphoric Melodies" has a robust, pop-like hook to it, its arpeggio dancing around the rhythm section like sparks arcing through the air.
"Alexandra" is the EP's other straight club track, stuttering its way through several different hooks, including plucked strings, clipped vocals and clever loops of melody. It sounds more than a little like Four Tet, whose elegant style of dance music is a clear influence here. It's also why "Alexandra" is the weakest track on an otherwise strong EP, because it lacks the thrill and personality of the other four, which you could call "songs" as much as "tracks." Intimate, uplifting and personal, Euphoric Melodies is a collection of house songs bearing all the hallmarks of a crossover success.
Tracklist01. Burnt Orange
02. Euphoric Melodies
03. Flowers
04. Alexandra
05. Morning Fuzz