Frame Music and BienAimer are just a few of the record labels which London-based DJ & production talent ELODIE has graced with her tech-leaning, club-primed minimal sound so far.
Last month saw the British artist launch a new imprint of her own in eloelo, that’s also responsible for her latest 2-track ‘Who Let Him?’ EP – which alongside the original title track includes an excellent remix from Peter Pixzel.
We welcome ELODIE to Inflyte this week to chat about the process of making the new track, what she thinks of Peter’s remix, her future plans for eloelo, and more. Read the interview in full below.
So, how are things in the life of ELODIE right now?
Things are great actually – I feel like I’m having a really good year all round. Very busy with everything that I have going on but it’s “good busy” if you know what I mean, playing lots of really cool gigs and festivals, making lots of music, working on my label – sometimes I just wish there were two of me, but other than that I can’t complain. I’m releasing a lot more of my music this year as well, so it’s nice to see my work in the production space over the last few years really coming to fruition.
You’re about to release your new ‘Who Let Him?’ EP on your own eloelo label, talk us through the process of how you made the original track?
Who Let Him? was one of those tracks that just clicked straight away for me. I wrote the baseline in one take, which never happens. Usually, I’m forever messing around with trying different versions but with this one, I literally hit record, started playing on the keyboard, and was super happy with it. The same thing happened with some of the other elements too actually now that I’m thinking back to it. I finished the first version of the track that evening, and the next day I went for a walk and listened back to the track in my headphones. Although I liked it I felt something was missing – it needed some kind of hook or a catchy vocal, so that evening I experimented. I actually ended up sampling the vocals from an old Japanese song. I started messing around with the vocal, chopping it up and using effects until I found parts that sounded good on the track. So here’s a fun fact: the vocals aren’t really saying “Who Let Him?” at all (God knows what they are saying though, I don’t speak Japanese!).
And the EP also includes a remix from Peter Pixzel, how did you decide on Peter? And what are your thoughts on his edit?
I absolutely love Peter’s remix! I love how it has a totally different vibe to the original and I remember when I first listened to it and the bassline came in I thought “yep, he’s done a wicked job here!”. I think because the original is quite stripped back and moody, I wanted the remix to be something that was a bit more bouncy and dancefloor ready. I didn’t tell Peter this though, I just let him run with it and it turns out we were both on the same wavelength, which turned out great and I really think the tracks complement each other super well. I’ve been a fan of Peter’s for a long time and I know he’s super talented and creative, so I had full confidence that he would do a great job and wouldn’t let me down here. He also turned the remix around impressively quick, so that’s always a bonus.
You launched eloelo back in June with your ‘Slept With X’ EP, who else can we expect to hear on the label in the coming months?
I feel so lucky that some of my absolute favourite producers, who I’ve been a fan of for many years, are keen to be involved in the project and jump on a remix for some of the tracks, so I’m beyond excited to reveal the details when the time comes (but I’m keeping them under wraps for now!). The concept for the time being and for the next few releases is going to stay as original tracks produced by myself, with remixes from some super talented producers, but longer-term I’m also looking forward to showcasing other artists on the label. One release in, I’ve been surprised at how well the label has been received actually – there’s been some incredible DJ feedback from the likes of Jamie Jones and support on forthcoming tracks for example by CHKLTE at Sunwaves Festival, and I’ve already received a number of demos from artists who like the music and the vision for the label, so watch this space! I’m starting to put plans in motion for the label launch party also, so I’m looking forward to the eloelo sound being showcased in a proper party very soon!
And you’ve previously signed music to Frame and BienAimer in the past, which other labels might you be releasing on soon?
I can’t reveal too much just yet, and obviously, I can’t name labels specifically, but let’s just say that later this year, I’ll be releasing music on a label that means so so much to me. I’m still taking it in because it’s a huge deal for me personally to have their backing and belief in what I’m doing as an artist. It’s quite a milestone, and I’m incredibly excited about it. So super cryptic, but I promise it’s something really exciting.
What’s one of the biggest lessons you’ve learnt from other imprints that you’ve carried over into eloelo?
There have been several valuable lessons I’ve learned from working with other imprints that I’ve brought into eloelo. Firstly, consistency is key. Running a label involves so many moving parts and people, from artists to distributors to mastering engineers, as well as long lead times, so being organised and then consistent in execution is so important. Secondly, quality over quantity. It’s unrealistic to think that every person is going to love every single track on the label (as we all have different tastes), but each release on eloelo should be carefully curated and represent the best of what the artist has to offer while making total sense musically for the label. Lastly, I’ve learned that having a really solid backlog of releases before launching the label can be incredibly beneficial, something I wish I had done differently from the start.
Thanks for taking the time to answer our questions, is there anything else you want to mention before we finish up?
Thank you to you guys for having me. Also, a massive thank you to everyone who has supported me on this crazy journey so far, be it coming to a gig or supporting my label or any of my music! Finally, go and check out the ‘Who Let Him?’ EP, which is being released on July 28th. And this is just the very beginning for eloelo, there’s a lot more to come so watch this space!
ELODIE – Who Let Him? EP is out now on eloelo.