ELSAS has already riveted us with her previous singles “Weeping Willow” and “Creadora”, and she’s going to unload a truck load of thrills next week as she releases her debut EP, The Art of The Concrete, on July 23 through untitled (recs). Ahead of that, she’s shared another brilliant single called “You Saved Everyone”, saying:
“The spark of this song came after watching ‘Holy Hell’, a documentary about an American cult. It shows the dark intentions of a leader veiled by an illusory sense of harmony and spirituality. I find it fascinating how humans can fall into these mirages of idolisation, which we all generate towards each other to some degree. This ties in with the trope of the ‘male saviour’, very common in our media.“
Once again she’s shifting in and out of shadows, production-wise, while her voice vacillates between searchlight clarity and hair-raising rasp. It’s the perfect way to approach this topic, as she can show off all the pointed and harsh emotions she feels towards the subject: “I can’t compare my perception to your higher truth / man who knows all” she sneers early on. It’s not all anger though, as “You Saved Everyone” switches to a deconstructed balearic chorus, where she seems in worship to this man. There’s also plenty of fear, especially as “You Saved Everyone” breaks down into a crackling void, where there’s little other than her quiet voice admitting “I’m scared of your name / I’m scared but I hate myself.” One final shift in tone leads the song to a worshipful sound, and finds her once again admitting her admiration for this leader, a tangle of voices joining together to admit “you saved us all”. It’s a truly head-spinning piece, the production morphing and wrong-footing throughout, her dextrous vocal hopping along with it, and perfectly capturing the anger, confusion and devotion that followers of cults must feel towards their enigmatic leaders.
Listen to “You Saved Everyone” below or on streaming platforms.
ELSAS’ The Art of the Concrete EP arrives next Friday, July 23, on untitled (recs). You can find her on Instagram.
