Exclusive video premiere of ‘What We Got Away With’ by Elpenthe, taken from the upcoming debut EP, ‘Elpenthe I’, out this Summer.

Elpenthe rewires electronic dance music into an organically charged network on the debut EP, ‘Elpenthe I’. Derived from the ancient Greek nepenthe, a potion used by the gods to chase away sorrow, the hypnotic synths and propulsive beats of ‘Elpenthe I’ set out to do just that.

Elpenthe, aka Elliott Beenk, began his musical explorations in Iowa after coming across a promotion on the lid of a Pizza Hut box. After collecting enough tokens, he traded them in for a mix CD that included the Red Hot Chili Peppers and the nine-year-old was hooked. Over the next fifteen years he wove his guitar playing through a number of bands, and earned a master’s degree in environmental engineering, eventually fusing his passions into a solar-powered bike tour with one of his bands.

Since moving to LA, Elpenthe has worked with childhood hero Chad Smith (Red Hot Chili Peppers), and collaborated with Lissie, Leo Nocentelli (The Meters), Finish Ticket, Brian West (Maroon 5, U2, Nelly Furtado, K’Naan), and Wondaland (Janelle Monae’s creative collective).

Singer Half Wolf opens the EP by laying her guts bare over a pulsating beat layered in a fiercely tender honesty. ‘Mistakes’ grows from a forest of sounds that quickly submerge themselves into a life spent on the run. While Half Wolf’s lyrics are about wanting to leave the party, the music urges her to stay put and sway. Then in ‘What We Got Away With’, her confessions evolve into a drug that leads to a resounding cry.

Elpenthe worked remotely with Wild Rivers vocalist Devan Glover on the third track, ‘Already Know’. During the pandemic Glover layered her vocals in Toronto over grooves sent from LA. The result is a rising anthem that emerges from a deeply unapologetic sadness, embracing the freedom that comes with hitting emotional rock bottom. “There’s an invincibility that comes with being aware of your limitations”, says Glover, “and realizing that you’re your own worst enemy”. Over sets of soothing chords and trembling synths, she resolves her own pain with a hook that could be screamed in a crowd or whispered on the drive home: You can’t say anything about me that I don’t already know.

Forbidden transforms the dance floor into the ‘Garden of Eden’, with Josh Dean’s seductive lyrics bearing a gentle fearlessness erupting from the heat of the moment. Finally, ‘Scar Tissue’ synthesizes the EP’s theme of the natural world and a constant search for connections. The only song to feature Elpenthe’s own vocals, ‘Scar Tissue’ reimagines Anthony Kiedis’ ballad of addiction into a dance at dawn—shimmering instrumentals draped over the classic chorus.

At the core of ‘Elpenthe I’ is a desire to construct a communal spirit, which is on full display when considering the individuals involved in the project’s creation. Elpenthe tapped Ben Darwish (Shawn Mendes, BANKS, Mike Posner) to add additional keys on Mistakes. He brought in TK Kayembe (Lizzo, Kehlani, Kid LAROI) for additional production on ‘What We Got Away With’. 2022 Grammy-nominated Kevin Smith (Harry Styles, Phoebe Bridgers, Frank Ocean) mixed the songs, and Stuart Hawkes (Amy Winehouse, Lorde, Charli XCX) mastered the EP. Through its inspired lyricism and mesmerizing production, ‘Elpenthe I’ is an experience grounded in a deep love of connections that actively chases away today’s worries, with a musical release that can be played on repeat long after today’s tomorrow.

Headline photo by Adam Westerholm

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