Project Description

Interview with

ELKI

Interviewer – Dave Bruce

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How did it all begin? Where did you develop your interest in performing music to an audience? 
It all began with songwriting. I’ve written songs since I was in school and I love writing for hours on end. The ‘performing music to an audience’ bit came in to play when I realised that’s really the best way to get my songs out there and also a way to get street cred for being a proper ‘muso’ by doing gigs n’ such. 

What kind of music did you grow up on? Which artists inspired you?
I’ve pretty much been an avid Kate Bush fan forever, along with Joni Mitchell and Carole King. My dad played a heck of a lot of Steely Dan and Pat Metheny when we were growing up. I also love Brazilian music, particularly from the Tropicalia period, with artists like Gal Costa and Caetano Veloso. Brazilian Portuguese I think is absolute best language with music I reckon. They go hand in hand. 

With your new EP “Extended Play”, can you describe its origins and evolution? 
Well, I recorded a bunch of demos over and over again (in an obsessive fashion) on an antiquated mac with a cracked version of Logic. Then realised I would never get them finished as I kept on re-recording them. On a whim, I sent some of those demos off to producers I greatly admired around the world and was stoked when I got enthusiastic responses. I ended up recording with two producers in Australia, Joel Quartermain and John Castle. It took a wee while to finish everything up as I do tend to go everything again and again, but after mix number six and master number three of the last track, I decided it was probably time to wrap it all up. 

I know how challenging the creative and producing process can be. How good did it feel to complete? 
Jolly good indeed! But what’s that quote? “Art is never complete, only abandoned”…

Is there an Album on the drawing board?
Most definitely! Just a question of finding funding as I’m independent and paying for everything myself, so if anyone would like to give me a large wad of cash, now’s the time… 
I have a whole bunch of demos on the go at the moment, and I just made a list of ten songs in my notebook the other day that I’m very excited to jump into recording. It’s just about finding the time in between work etc. 

It would be remiss of us to not talk about your new single ‘Soho’. What motivated you to write it, and what do you love about it?
I wrote it after visiting some friends in Bondi and imagining what it must be like to be carefree and on a gap year and not giving a shit about anything. I sat there in my car singing it into my phone as I had the idea as I was walking from their apartment to my car while breathing in the ocean air and pretending I was on holiday for five minutes. 

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You said you wrote Nightmare mostly in your sleep! How does one do that?
Yeah, I can’t say that has happened too many times since! I woke up with the melody and lyrics in my head.  I quickly wrote it down and recorded it before I forgot it! I feel like tuning out and getting into an almost subconscious state is often a great way of writing. 

How do you find the Songwriting process? Is there always a big appetite to write some more?
I’m pretty much always writing something, and it’s the thing I enjoy the most in the whole music thing. I wish there was more time in the day and I could just sit and write day in, day out. I typically start with the melody, first and foremost, as I think that’s the most critical part of any song. Next, I scratch out lyrics and jump on the piano and hack away at chords. Then I’ll open up Logic and demo it and mess around for ages. 

Do you plan on touring the EP? What other shows and tours are in the immediate future?
I’ve just done a whole string of packed out shows for the ‘Nightmare’ single, which is the lead single off my EP.  It was a lot of fun! I have a show at Golden Age Bar, and I also have a gig coming up with Thandi Phoenix, 21st June at the Lansdowne, very excited for that one. 

If you could pick absolutely anyone to bring on tour with you, whom would you pick and why? (Dead or Alive)
Kate Bush. As she’s my absolute hero. And she doesn’t really tour or perform much so it would be incredible to see her live. 

What are your major goals or milestones for the future? 
To hopefully get a sync on a movie and to write hit songs for other people. That’s my end goal. 

Finally, a few questions for some quick answers –
FAVOURITE:
Album – The Kick Inside – Kate Bush 
Artist – Kate Bush
Movie – Rain Man
Place to visit – Mornington Peninsula 
Venue to play – The Basement, Canberra 
Food = Seaweed 
Drink –  Roibos Tea 
Person in History – Oscar Wilde 

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Check out ELKI below

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ELKI

releases debut EP

and new single

‘SOHO’

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The enigmatic Sydney songwriter ELKI has today released her debut EP ‘Extended Play’ alongside the new single ‘Soho’. The Sydney songwriter calls on her classical music training – her passion for the melodic mastery of Burt Bacharach – and an ongoing obsession with the fiery pop dramatics and sound production genius of Kate Bush to create her debut release, showcasing the young artist’s incredible writing chops.

The new single, Soho, is a savvy blend of slightly dark social observation and a sunny singalong chorus: a balance of youthful hedonism and morning-after regret that speaks of years of quietly nurtured song craft.

“For me, good music comes from switching off and being a hundred per cent engaged in your art,” says ELKI. It might explain why her debut self-titled EP sounds a world apart from everything else.

Previous single, Sirens, was spun by BBC Radio One and her praises have since been sung from Stereogum (“dangerously catchy pop sensibilities”) to the Vanda and Young Songwriting competition.

Nightmare, recorded with John Castle (Jack River, Vance Joy, Sweet Jean) is a playful song of underwater romantic disaster that arrived in the songwriter’s sleep.

From the rich, piano-and-strings balladry of Movie (inspired by the Woody Allen fantasy The Purple Rose of Cairo), to the lusty breath percussion of Lone Wolf (see the Jodi Picoult novel of the same name) and the Brazilian undertow of That Would Be So Good, ‘Extended Play’ is an incredibly confident and melodically arresting debut from one of Australia’s finest new songwriters.

ELKI and her music has already received approving nods from the likes of  Indie Shuffle, Pop Justice and countless influential blogs in the US, UK and Europe. Her EP singles ‘Sirens’, ‘Thunder’ and ‘Golden Age’ received heavy airplay on triple j, FBi and community radio in Australia, as well as Spotify curated playlisting around the world.

After selling out her headline show ELKI went onto tour with Bec Sandridge along the East coast of Australia, and has played shows and festivals with acts such as I Know Leopard, Thelma Plum, Ayla, Wharves and Alexander Biggs. Her enigmatic live performances drawing fans in around the country, don’t miss ELKI live, performing with Thandi Phoenix in the coming month.

ELKI’s debut EP ‘Extended Play’ is brilliant songwriting, pop hooks and production you can’t help but dance and cry to, just don’t expect her to tweet about it.

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ELKI performing

FRIDAY 21ST JUNE
THE LANSDOWNE
SYDNEY, NSW
w Thandi Phoenix
Tickets

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AMNPLIFY – DB