The latest EP/Single from DAS ELITE is a straight-to-heart collection of 2 brand-new songs, accompanied by 4 remixes. It is immediate, effective, straightforward, and packed with emotion and meaning.
DAS ELITE is the moniker for renowned Swedish producer Andreas Ahlenius. The illustrious producer and mixer are based in Gävle, and DAS ELITE is his solo outfit, which he regards as a much-needed creative outlet for when he’s not working with great names such as Anna Ternheim and Saybia, along with more revered and infamous names in Scandinavian music.
The Landslide EP includes its namesake song, and its B-side Align, followed by 4 varied remixes of Landslide. The song itself is a musically rich offering with dense production that’s loaded with detail and nuance. The song’s harmony is also quite intricate with multiple sections as well as a prominent melody that plays the role of a defining motif, that’s as much a simplistic piano melody, as it is an elemental part in the composition and the message of the song.
A slow burner, Landslide does never introduce conventional beats, opting instead for a killer kick drum that gets progressively heavier, alongside a throbbing synth bass that plays consistent rhythmic stabs. The tastefully hypnotizing outro gets increasingly fuzzed and distorted, but never sounds excessive or harsh, thanks to the masterful production job from the man himself. Align is more 80s-esque synth-heavy goodness. This time with conventional beats to bolster the dense-with-detail arrangement. With minimal, spaced-out vocals that sound soulful and just with the right amount of strain to show heart, Align is a delicious B-side that’s every bit as enjoyable as its sister song, albeit without a gorgeous, defining piano melody to hum for hours afterward, even if its outro is still a hypnotic, lengthy instrumental break. The remixes are all nice additions, but I particularly enjoyed the Reassemble – JEC remix, which is a wholly different reimagining of Landslide, with commandeering sub-bass, and conventional and tight trap beats. The arrangement in here is vastly more laid back and chill, giving Andreas’s vocal performance a greater chance to shine, which they welcome with open arms, making this rendition of Landslide a sexy down-tempo banger that calls to mind Mezzanine era Massive Attack with ease.
The latest EP release from DAS ELITE is a fun little collection of songs, made with a ton of love, which shows in the quality of the writing, the production, and the singing. Solid releases should not slip under the radar.