Meet the Tokyo-Based Duo Behind the Blissful Disco Single "American Lover"

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Meet the Tokyo-Based Duo Behind the Blissful Disco Single "American Lover"

We talked Mazzy Star, Shinjuku nights, and listening to their music in a dark basement with a single flickering strobe light.

Tokyo-based duo Elleh (said L.A.) have done that thing. You know the thing: when an artist comes seemingly out of fucking nowhere with an absolute goer of a track and you're left sort of speechless about it. Sitting there with your headphones in like, "what the fuck?"

Elleh—one part Satoru Teshima and one part Bob Wiley—have done it with their debut single "American Lover," a bouncing, driving pop disco vibe, with a predisposition to be played and played again. And then again.

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We shot through some questions to the duo, to find out where to play Elleh, what's more inspiring about their city, and what to expect from their incoming debut EP, Anthems EP Part I. 

Tell us about the name Elleh, where does it come from?
Teshima: We wanted something memorable, catchy, and romantic. The original contenders were Gif Gifs, Ryu & Ken, Mariah Doesn't Know Me, and Steven Sea Gull. I later jokingly spelt out L.A. as Elleh, as I planned a trip there last December. And I realised how beautiful the word looked aesthetically. We also liked the idea of having a band from Tokyo called L.A. When I arrived in L.A., my friend drove me to El Matador beach and we busted out The Doors' "L.A. Woman" and some Mazzy Star and Julee Cruise albums from the stereo. There was something very romantic about this moment: dopey and sparkly sunbeams, the dry breath of the A/C, and the infinite lines of tall palm trees. I remember my friend said, "This is the L.A. hallucination right here." It made me feel more certain that Elleh was the right fit, as I realised the city itself carried what we wanted to express through music.

How do the two of you make music? What's the process, from inception to execution?
Bob: We'll take any approach necessary to get the song but i think our standard method is to take Teshi's dark and miserable song skeletons and hose them down with champagne, glitter and ARP 2600. The end result is a good balance of light and dark, rough and smooth, ecstasy and misery.

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Which American would you most like to have as a lover?
Teshima: Someone who doesn't take so much pride in being "right" all the time.

What's the most inspiring thing about Tokyo?
Teshima: Tokyo is not a city to escape to. It's a city to dive into. But wherever you end up, I'm sure you'll find something meaningful. All the Shibuya lights, sweet Harajuku scents, and mirky Shinjuku nights do inspire us, but what inspires us the most is its maze-like diversity and the urban loneliness that may eat you up.

What are you listening to at the moment?
Teshima: The albums I listen on repeat right now are, YMO's BGM, Luomo's The Present Lover, Nick Cave's Murder Ballads and Dead Can Dance's The Serpent's Egg.
Bob: I'm listening to Hosono Haruomi and things produced by him. old house and funk too.

Where's the best place to listen to Elleh?
Bob: Friday night alone at home. Make a space to dance and get a little drunk. We believe that Elleh songs should only be listened to in a dark basement with a single flickering strobe light. Everywhere else is out.

Where's the worst place to listen to Elleh?
Teshima: A wedding party.

Tell us a little bit about the upcoming EP…
Teshima: Anthems EP Part I is our first instalment of the Anthems Trilogy. Through the course of three EPs, we will explore one person's experience in bargaining with heartbreak and turning to music for salvation as the dawn approaches. Part I mainly focuses on the longing, loss, and naivety of past relationships.

And what's next after that?
Teshima: We are currently working on Part II of the Anthems trilogy and are planning to release it this August. A new single will also be announced soon.

Keep an eye out for Anthems EP Part I, out this April independently.