ELEL: Geode & Gold EP

ELEL are an 8-piece indie-pop ensemble from Nashville that first made waves in the indie scene back in July, with their playful Arcade Fire-eqsque single When She Walks. The track gave us an ample taste of the band’s bright, eclectic brand of pop and their style was dubbed by listeners as “world pop” owing to its diverse influences. On the three tracks on Geode & Gold EP, we see a more developed rendering of ELEL‘s loud, whimsical and tuneful music.

The EP opens with the ecstatic, thumping beats of 40 Watt, a track that brings to mind the explosive style of Sleigh Bells. The chorus is infectious, and the sweet, shimmering instrumentals may even impel you to move your furniture to make for some dancing-space. The song would be memorable for its catchy and triumphant melody alone, but ELEL‘s affectionate lyrics lend it a charming cuteness. As vocalist Ben Elkins describes it, “40 Watt is a big loud dance song about dancing with one other person in a little bitty house.”

The warm and touching tone continues on the next track, Automatic, but is now set against a mellower backdrop. Elkins’ vocals cut through the dense droning of a synthesizer and a cluster of stuttering beats makes frequent appearances in the mix. But even in the midst of the track’s melancholic air, the band manages to throw in an upbeat, joyous chorus and loud blaring horns.

The EP closes with ELEL’s cover of The Weeknd’s wildly popular Earned It, where the original’s old-timey sultriness is replaced by an electronic, dance-club aura which fits right in with the EP’s fun, vibrant mood.