Live Review: elkkle gets experimental and philosophical in new release 'Diderot'

The self-proclaimed "beat making loner" intertwines vibrant trap-style production with affluence of shade and colour, which ultimately requires a double take to really take in all of the track’s pseudo-pop and alt-experimental attributes.

So what is a ‘Diderot’ exactly?

elkkle explains: "The Diderot Effect observes the tendency for people to buy things that compliment their identity, and when they buy things that demonstrate a shift in their identity, a spiral of consumption can follow as they seek to abandon anything that no longer aligns with that identity. On one hand, this song is about how we are often powerless against the rationale of the human condition. On the other, it’s about how we grow and change as people and how those in our life come and go unanchored."

It’s a pretty facilitating concept, and also very resonant with many folks in this modern era. In terms of this track, there are some threads that once pulled will unravel the whole sweater, and you will certainly unveil more and more intricate layers if you pay attention to the song's finer details.

‘Diderot’ was recorded in the same outfitted shipping container where elkkle wrote and recorded demo vocals for the recent Golden Vessel single ‘Shoulders’, which is also where he and Woodes also created their 2015 EP, Woodes x Elkkle. 

This latest release is a more experimental cut than we’ve previously heard, boasting emotional and heavily processed R&B-esque vocals that linger above heavy percussive beats and ultimately brew into a brooding, sonic atmosphere. This genre-bending single sees elkkle remove himself from past points of reference to take on a more idiosyncratic sound and highlight his musical finesse.

‘Diderot’ is brought to life by Rex Kane-Hard, and is a continuation of a series of videos with each clip (usually) focussing on an isolated figure that embodies the emotion and energy of the song, rather than a character performance.

Kane-Hard shot the video for ‘Diderot’ during the mutton bird migration at Phillip Island in Victoria, complementing the narrative with a sheen of ethereal vibes, saying “As the sun was going down, more and more were leaving their nests behind the dunes until there were hundreds flying around us. They were so close to us, some even blindly hit us as the sun disappeared. It was very surreal. It was pretty hard to capture in the clip but the filming process became quite a special moment."

elkkle will be supporting Golden Vessel on his National ‘Shoulders’ Tour, along with Eilish Gilligan, Azura and Mookhi.  See HERE for tickets and check out the dates below!

Thur June 29 - The Workers Club - Melbourne

Fri June 30 - The Foundry - Brisbane

Thur July 6 - Brighton Up Bar - Sydney

Words by FREYA DINESEN

WATCH MORE NEW MUSIC VIDEOS HERE

SEE ALSO

GOLDEN VESSEL, MALLRAT AND ELKKLE TEAM UP FOR STELLAR TRACK ‘SHOULDERS’

EILISH GILLIGAN FASHIONS COSMIC SENTIMENTS WITH ‘THE FEELING’

MOOKHI’S ‘LOST & FOUND’ EP IS SHORT AND DELICIOUSLY SWEET