Thankfully, the world situation of the pandemic isnt stopping a constant flurry of new releases.
This week, we go behind the tracks with a new EP from Welsh artist ELA, who brought us the beautiful Our Summer in 2020, plus a collaboration from Italian artist’s Dardust and Benny Benassi and a new single from Travis!
ELA – Unfurl EP
After months of growing success, emerging Welsh singer/songwriter ELA releases her much-anticipated debut EP, Unfurl, on Friday 19th February 2021.
The four track EP features all ELA’s songs to date,including lead track You Do You, all of which were co-written with Ian Barter who has worked with artists such as Amy Winehouse, Paloma Faith and Izzy Bizu.
Speaking about Unfurl’s release, ELA said: “For the past two years, I’ve poured my heart and soul into this EP so I couldn’t be more excited and nervous about its release.
“To Unfurl means to spread out from a folded or rolled state, and that’s exactly what I did when working on this EP. When I started writing for it, I was coming out of an emotionally abusive relationship and I’ve laid a lot of my own experiences, some which were incredibly difficult and some which were amazing, out for the world to see. It’s terrifying but also exhilarating to finally release it.
“All of the emotions I’ve experienced are there – so there’s something for everyone, whether you like a moving ballad, smoky jazz or an upbeat tune.
“I hope those who have followed me since I started out will love it, and new listeners will find something for them too.”
Dardust with Benny Benassi – Within Me
Within Me unites two contrasting Italian artists whose combined talents have created something even greater than the sum of their parts. Dardust collides the worlds of minimalist piano composition and ambient electronica with the talents of electro house pioneer Benny Benassi who regularly packs festivals and amasses millions of streams all over the world.
Dardust commented, Within me is the opposite side of Without You, the most intimate and romantic track of the latest album Storm and Drugs. When I met Benny, we decided to contaminate it with his own world, looking out for something that would create an even stronger contrast with the original version. The song that came out of that could be considered as Melodic Techno, a romantic and magical club track that exasperates the simplicity and outrightness of the original version.”
Benny Benassi added, “I’ve always appreciated Dardust’s magical touch as a pianist and as a producer, so when the idea of making a progressive track together with a melodic piano part came about, I was really excited to do it. It was amazing we were able to film it in the empty Verona Arena during the lockdown, too. That was a crazy experience!”
Travis – Waving at The Window
Travis have released their romantically reminiscent new single, Waving At The Window. A fan favourite from their 2020 album 10 songs, the incredibly infectious track is a love song for the ages set over an insistent piano hook.
“Waving at the Window was written a year before the pandemic broke, when everything was normal.” Fran Healy says of the track.
“Songs are funny that way. Even when you think you know what they’re about, they might end up fitting perfectly with something else. In this case, all the images of us all staring out our windows during the lockdowns.”