Every week, Fade Up sets you up on a hot date with an emerging homegrown artist who Sandro Dallarmi thinks are worth getting to know. Sandro looks kinda funny and has little to no dating experience, but the conversation and soundtrack have already been provided through a quick interview and minimix from the featured artist, so give the guy a chance!

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The music of Brisbane producer ELI is both celebratory and sinister; bright voices gargle strange melodies alongside a deep-sea orchestra covered in barnacles and deformities. It’s not dance music as you know it, but it’s tribal and almost psychedelic.

Meet ELI

Sandro :: Where did music production start for you?

ELI :: I started late 2011 when I was listening to 9th Wonder and Lone a lot. I thought what they were doing was real easy, so I thought I’d have a crack at production; just playing on GarageBand with some Youtube samples. From there I got addicted and wanted to make more and more.

To this day I still haven’t been able to emulate either of those two producers because I keep on discovering things about their production that makes them so genius.

S :: Judging by your sound, I’m going to assume that like a lot of young Australian producers, you’re influenced by guys like Flume, Cosmo’s Midnight and Wave Racer. Do you feel like you have to have a point of difference in your music when so many artists are inspired by a new sound?

E :: Nah not really. As I haven’t found my own sound yet so I don’t feel like I need to separate myself.

Like all the other guys have their thing like “I’m sticking with this sound, with these elements that make up my sound”, meanwhile my circle of influences are pretty broad, so my approach is “if it’s bangin’ then I’ll make it”.

The ‘new sound’ thing is such a blanket term too. The Australian scene – in some aspects – is a replication of what is happening overseas, and for me that’s where I get many of my influences from. The other guys (minus Flume because he’s on his own planet) seem like replications of that sound with an Australian twist I guess. But I don’t want to speak on behalf of something that’s much bigger than me haha.

S :: You recently put out some music through Brisbane-based collective, Ender. Who are they and what are they doing for music in your city?

E :: Yeah man Ender is a label supporting the locals. It’s really a great stepping stone and I’m super stoked to have linked up with them. To have them vibe on my stuff, release my things on shiny vinyl and let me play my first DJ set means the world to me.

But Ender is just a small part of the bigger picture up here in Brisbane. Groups like Waves Collective, Dank Morass, and Vacay Agency are also promoting local talent. It’s really beautiful (like the Lil B video where he cries in the pet store) to know that there’s a large community of other people who are really passionate about electronic music. Brisbane’s a strong breeding ground, and regardless of who’s pushing it I’m humbled to have a home at Ender.

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Every Saturday night at 1am, Sandro Dallarmi airs a new Fade Up mixtape on FBi’s newest dance music show, The Mixing Bowl. To keep looped with all things dance music and hear Fade Up mixes before they go online, have a gander at the show’s Facebook page.

For now though, listen to Eli’s Fade Up mixtape below.

Tracklist:

Lil Ugly Mane – ‘Mona Lisa Overdrive’

RL Grime – ‘Because of U’

Bobby Tank – ‘Afterburn’

What So Not – ‘High You Are (Branchez Remix)’

813 – ‘Village (Obey City Remix)’

Kid Cedek & Rell The Soudbreaker – ‘Handz Up (Jesse Slayter Remix)’

Raf Riley – ‘The Liquidator’

Alizzz – ‘Cruel’

The Aston Shuffle feat. Will Heard – ‘Comfortable (LDRU Remix)’

Renz – ‘Waiting On Me’

Blaze Tripp – ‘So Proud’

Jet Age of Tomorrow – ‘Welcome Aboard Voyager (ELI’s Defcon:Jazz Remix)’

Danny Byrd – ‘Hot Fuzz ft Tomahawk’

ELI | The Mixing Bowl | Fade Up