Already causing a bit of a stir over on Beatport, Elisa Elisa’s “Tropicao” EP serves up a stunning indication of just why people are making a fuss about this Berlin-based artist. Although Germany’s capital might be better known for its harder-edged techno sounds, Elisa Elisa’s vibe is much more colourful than that.
We checked in with her recently to get the lowdown on the latest EP, and much more besides…
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How are you, how was the pandemic for you?
Hey Tanzgemeinschaft! Thank you so much for having me today 🙂 I am really excited to release my new EP “Tropicao”! And I must say I feel alive again! “After” the pandemic… We might have lived the lockdowns differently but I think it was still really hard for all of us…
What did you learn about yourself over the past year-and-a-half or so? Did you surprise yourself at all?
I think I gained 10 years of therapy during the pandemic! I really learned a lot about myself! And also I had unlimited time in the studio and I was able to experiment a lot!
Did you find that your mood was influencing the music you make?
Definitely! As I was working on myself and my emotions I needed to reconnect to my roots and share my story. So I wanted to transcribe the fusion of my origins by creating my own sound!
Would it be fair to say that the music you make is house for the dancefloor? Was it harder to envisage these sounds with the clubs closed?
Great question! Exactly! With the clubs being closed, working on my first EP was different and probably more therapeutic! For this second EP, the track “Tropicao” is more of a sweet goodbye to the summer having a cocktail by the pool. Dreamy Rhodes gives you a kick in the ass to go back to the club! My friend The Checkup played it a few weeks ago in Watergate and I was so impressed by its power! And people loved it! So I am really looking forward to playing it myself!
Elisa Elisa’s Tropicao EP is out now. Buy/listen to the release here.
Can you tell us a bit about your comeback to the club, both as a DJ and a clubber? How was it?
I cried! I literally forgot THE feeling! During the lockdown, I was actually questioning why I was doing this before?! But as soon as I went back to the club, I was like OK this is why and there are no more questions… No need to describe it right?
Your first EP landed at no.1 on Beatport’s deep house chart. How did that feel?
That is insane! I still can’t really realise it, I think! But I am really grateful for the support I received from artists I admire and I would like to thank the label again for believing in me!
What’s the vibe with the new tracks on the EP? Have you played them out before you released them?
The vibe is again a fusion of my origins, but with a little change in the recipe as for Drum Love. As a Franco-Algerian producer, I want to pay tribute to my north African legacy, roots and infuse them to my protestant gospel ancestry.
Let’s chat a bit about Berlin — what motivated your move to the city? And how is the vibe there again?
The music and the party scene of course! I moved in 2012 to Berlin, to finish my masters and to write my thesis on House Music while doing an internship in Watergate club and since then I have never left… Almost 10 years now! Wow!
Can you tell us a bit about some of your favourite clubs and parties in the city? And record stores?
What I love about Berlin is that you have something for every taste and is very versatile, it is a real gift! But let’s say where you have a chance to find me the most would be Watergate, Sisyphos, Kater Blau… And for the record stores: Oye and Elevate!
How do you balance the Berlin music life with the more relaxed side of the city? Is balance something that’s very important to you?
Oh, it is! I grew up in the countryside so I need green! I actually just go to the club areas only at night! I found a beautiful place in the north of Berlin, super chilled, surrounded by sweet families, so that’s where I hide all week!
Can you tell us a bit about the production process of this new EP… what did you use? Were there many samples used on this one?
Yes, I am obsessed with sampling! A lot of my sounds come actually from documentaries I was watching! There is like a little radar that switches on when I hear something I like!
Do you think the scene as a whole has learned a lot from the pandemic?
I talked with some other artists and I kept a common message: we took everything for granted and were just pushing more and more instead of enjoying what we had. So I hope that we will go towards this new mantra of really enjoying the moment!
What have been some of your favourite releases of the past few months that you can tell us about?
I am really impressed with the work of Heat Up, always growing and digging new talents. It is so refreshing! Go check out the last releases they are strong: The Checkup, Deelegenz, Quadrakey, Martin Alix, Rawdio, Imad from Berlin…
Thank you.
