A Question Of Genre - ELLIP’s ‘Four Words’
When the world was less connected than it is now, it was easy to pigeonhole artists into one genre or another. N.W.A. were hip-hop, Portishead were trip-hop and Oasis were brit-pop. These days it isn't so easy to place people in boxes, and isn't that wonderful? Artists can weave multiple influences into their sound, creating something that is both unique and distinctly them. This is exactly what Estonian artist ELLIP has done, her mini-album 'Four Words' is her first, with much more to come.
Beginning with the keyboard pulse of 'Shivers', the light piano and active drum pattern are trip-hop influenced, ELLIP's vocal is clear and bright - her doubling and harmonies are expertly layered. The backing vocals are more distant, echoing the verse lyrics, with synth lines bridging the gap between these. ELLIP's imitation of the track pulsing with her vocal line on the lyric 'don't fight it' makes perfect sense in the arrangement. Shivers works both as a studio piece, a collaboration between ELLIP and producer Mikk Siemer (Nzea), and also with ELLIP's live band, as illustrated below. The backwards percussion remains amongst the live drums, the bass a continuous stream and that jazzy piano has been given more space to shine.
'Fool' follows this, the introduction sounding like intense soundtrack music when the bass comes in. The drums bring a different flavour however, and the rhythmic vocal brings more soul. In the hands of a different arranger, this could be a modern R&B track sitting alongside the likes of Ashanti, Aaliyah and Beyoncé.
ELLIP definitely brings the soul in the title track 'Four Words'. Lyrically, this one is rooted in a relationship, 'Here I am a mess, here I am a mess, thinking I am less. 'Cause all of the time, all of the damn time, I'm wondering why, I'm wondering why...' I also wonder what the four words are. The drums are more natural here, almost as if a drummer had actually played them rather than being programmed. The piano has a muted sound, there even sounds like there's guitar, but everything takes a backseat to ELLIP's voice and the story she has to tell.
Right from the start, 'Salsa' has a more electronic feeling, the digital percussion bringing in ELLIP's vocal that has the attitude of En Vogue. There's vocoder here too, an entire departure from the title track. The deep synth has influences of grime, the steady and constant bassline is the only thing similar to the three tracks that came before it. The wordplay in the pre-chorus is enjoyable, 'Broken, breathing smoke in, words unspoken,' of course the desired effect is achieved whilst listening, not reading.
'Stay Like This' changes up the feel once again, with influences of drum and bass becoming immediately apparent. This is fused with more trip-hop, the melodic layers including soft electric piano and a delayed synth lead line. On top of all of this is a peaceful lyric unlike the more melancholic parts of this collection of songs. This is summed up by the opening verses, 'In the midst of the days, when I feel best in your rays, let me live this moment forever. Make me dance in the rain, enjoy the fun in its way, let's stay in this forever.' The '420 blaze' lyric raised the corners of my mouth upwards - unexpected.
The hip-hop beat on 'Soulfood' enjoys elements of brass and saxophone. Easily the most commercial piece on this mini-album, the sing-along chorus of 'Food for the soul, where the microphones roll, where the kick of a drum will make your ears go oh oh - there we are' is a winner. You can't help but bob your head to it. I can see this being played with a three-piece backing vocal ensemble, a brass section, grand piano - a full live band.
In the meantime, ELLIP's band tackles it well in the above video with ELLIP handling piano as well as lead vocals, Mairo Marjamaa on saxophone and keys, Siim Avango vibing on consistent bass, and drums by Kaspar Kalluste. The live version is an excellent companion to the studio counterpart, injecting more soul, which I didn't know was possible. Fans of this work won't have long to wait as ELLIP plans to record more music this autumn.
1. 'Four Words' is your new mini-album and 'Shivers' opens this collection of songs, what inspired the lyric on that?
Actually, Shivers is the only song on the album (and among the others that me and producer Nzea have done together), of which the lyrics have been written by him. So what this song really is about.. we might never know. If we don't ask, that is.. To me and by my own definition, it is a song of sorrow, of captivity in one's mind, of longing.
2. This collection of songs are co-written with Mikk Siemer, what was the writing process like between you two?
It was like magic. First of all we were introduced a couple of years ago by a friend we have in common that felt like we could hit it off musically. Boy, was he right. Mikk sent me a couple of his songs and instantly I felt like we were riding some kind of a similar wave. The emotions that I felt in his music, I had in my mind and my writings. Also we clicked as humans, we are alike in age, both capricorns, musical creators, from a small countryside place, in love with nature, into hip-hop growing up and the list goes on.. Somehow it feels as though we were meant to make music together. The process has been the same for a couple of years – we take 10-14 days off, move to the countryside where there is barely any cell reception and live a life of ease, pick our own food, do walks in nature and create as much as we can from waking up until falling asleep. The first day we listen to a lot of tracks that he has produced (even the stuff created 10 years ago), I choose what inspires me at the time, we pick those out and the next day I start writing and he starts further producing them. Every new step or development is shared amongst each other. There is the most honest vibe between us and I feel like a lot of trust, especially on my behalf. Day by day the songs grow and we end up with songs that are practically ready for the recording stage. It is magic.
3. When writing these songs, did you decide the style there and then? Or did you play with the arrangements when recording them?
As I already explained a little, the songs are created on tracks that were sitting “on the shelf” of Mikk's all time creations library. They might have even been like .. a single track of a bassline for example that inspired me and I already had some kind of an idea on it that we started then, after I had recorded a demo vocal for it, developing for example. Other times it was a fuller demo beat. It was quite different with each of the songs. But the overall vibe, I feel, was sparked by Nzea's (Mikk) own emotions that he put into his beats. The fact that his emotion and my current condition or vibe clicked is yet again – magic.
4. Are all the instruments on 'Four Words' played by you and Mikk Siemer, or were there other performers?
Actually I'd say 90% of the instruments on the album are electronically produced or sampled. That's all Mikk. I might have suggested some parts for some types of instruments and set the form of the songs but everything else is his doing and his view.
5. With all the lyrics on this mini-album, was there an overall theme that ties these songs together?
Not at all. Usually I get very inspired by the music which then further inspires the topic or theme for the lyrics. Every instrumental that I hear, describes some kind of emotion for me. I read that emotion and get influenced, and most of the time, somehow, I find parallels from my own life that fit the music. Other times a storyline (not necessarily based on my own life) might play in my mind inspired by the music. I don't limit myself and knowingly didn't want to limit myself in any way with this first album. I wanted to let whatever this little creator in me is, speak and get inspired by everything.
6. Your music is influenced by a variety of genres, what are some of the artists you'd cite as an influence on this work?
A year before the album came out and when the songs were still to be recorded, I felt like there were two ways this could go – either it goes well or it goes to absolute **, because what me and Mikk have created is so different and eclectic and quite genreless – everybody might not understand it. To answer this question – I guess that all that we have ever heard, plays a role in this album. This work is a compote of a lot of music consumption, a lot of evolving as a human and as a musician. I couldn't name specific artists if my life depended on it. It is totally influenced by a moment, a beat, a track, a location.
7. If you could make a music video for one of the songs on 'Four Words', which would you choose and why?
Without a doubt, I would choose Soulfood, based on the storyline that it has. It is very personal, all positive emotions growing up, listening to music, first creations, happiness, purity and the simpleness that was being a child. Also how I fell in love with music. I am so proud of this song as it really takes me back, creates pictures in my mind of the times that I am trying to describe by the lyrics. It would be a very nostalgic, simple and positive video. A good theme in this otherwise complicated and “deep” world, haha.
8. Performing with a band brings a different vibe to your music, do you think your future material would feature a band instead of your current studio sound?
Oh yes, the band has changed my view on the future a lot. They are amazing musicians, one of the best in the field in Estonia, so to have them and their saying on the new material, is a natural part of the progression of ELLIP, I feel.
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Find ELLIP on instagram and facebook @ellipsing.
