IT’S BEEN A WHILE SINCE I SPENT THE TIME TO TALK ABOUT AN ARTIST FLOODING MY EARS WITH ENERGY AND I’M BACK TO GUSH ABOUT ANOTHER ARTIST, UK DJ Elkka. 

It wasn’t long ago when I first discovered Elkka. It was via a brand new and her first DJ-Kicks, a series of mixed albums by varying DJs and Electronic artists; it feels more of a blessing. When I hit play on this new Elkka, I knew I was in for a rewarding journey of House-based rave-influenced euphoria. I later went to her EPs and singles to get a sense of her artistry from the other side of the spectrum. It’s one thing to mix tracks and create a rhythmic juggernaut that comes with transitional ease between different sonic complexions; having a sense of originality with your production is another, and Elkka excels at both. I might have ended up more privy to the former – especially after sitting back and listening to the whimsical house and, at times, trancey influences within her craft, like on her Beats In Space Mix, creating this sense of danceable hypnotism without an overreliance on vocals to craft a memorable melody. Some songs that are a pure embodiment of what I’m reflecting on are “Every Body Is Welcome” from 2019 and “Morning Fuzz” from 2021, but no matter the route you choose to go on for this journey, I hope I won’t steer you wrong as Elkka is someone watching.

Since switching from writing to producing in 2016, Elkka has been changing her landscape for success via growth as a producer and co-founding a label with her partner, Alex Lambert, focused on inclusivity toward the queer community, empowering them to spread their wings and create. As someone who is part of the community and is gay, Elkka is doing wonders to continue striding toward higher plateaus, and part of it comes from having a presence in music, which she has in continuing to play festivals and more. Additionally, the label curates playlists of their artists while distributing their artists’ work and giving fans the option to purchase from their site; frankly, I love that B2C option as streaming is still flawed with the plays-to-sale ratio. Check out their latest playlist below.

Elkka additionally has signed with Technicolor, a subsidy of Ninja Tune, the UK label that has been a platform for Brainfeeder, aka Flying Lotus’s label, and other Electronic artists whom I’ve spoken about prior, whether through reviews or miscellaneous. It isn’t a predominantly Electronic-Centric Head Label, as they have continued to sign and deliver great acts like BICEP, Bronson, Floating Points, Jayda G, Black Country New Road, and Kamasi Washington, to name a few, so it wasn’t a surprise for me to see them backing and bolstering Elkka’s presence in the electronic scene. Though one shouldn’t hold Record Labels in such high esteem, sometimes you have to take the jump with one as consistent as them, especially since Elkka is predominantly an instrumentalist DJ, whose tangential connections come from this ability to keep a consistent motif while differentiating the instrumental layering. Elkka takes different avenues with her music, so when you reflect on how she evolves through different soundscapes while stabilizing transitional bliss. 

Elkka’s DJ-Kicks album is this effervescent mix of different palettes that relay one fluorescent and shimmering vibe to the party. There are eclectic transitions that don’t make you turn your head; it isn’t the case for all of the DJ-Kicks albums, but it’s definitely special when you get to make one, as they are rare, comparatively. It’s the same with her other mixes, like that Bass-centric mix for Boiler Room in 2022 or the spacial remedies of her Beats In Space Mix with Apple Music. Yet, there is one lingering constant that remains through all of it: the euphoria, the magnetic BPM switches bolstered by these enigmatic drums and synths that are never coy with its presence; it has a direction, and it may not be for everyone, but what I do love is her attention to finding the transition point between songs like when she takes the transition from the fluid EDM/House track in “Adama” by Omri Smadar, Roy Shpilman to the more bass and drum-centric “No Hay” by Pelada to the elevated house number in “Keep Time (Nobody)” by Matthew Herbert without skipping a beat and keeping the dancing going.

However, that isn’t all where Elkka has stricken cords with fans and media within the electronic music industry. In 2020, Elkka released “I. Miss. Raving.” as part of a two-track single that personified the feeling of isolation with intense energy you’re almost lost in this haze of nightly, neon-infused dance bliss, as Earmilk would write about it in 2020: (it) “combines euphoric synths and melodies with bouncy breaks and percussive stabs to create a stripped-back, simplistic slice of dancefloor elation. Despite its minimalistic sound, everything comes together to make an absolute body-shaker.” The second half of the final sentence stays resonant throughout her songs, even through the euphoric, mid-rave flows that personify the mental and physical connectivity to some of her music. When listening to “Burnt Orange” off Euphoric Melodies, I got this newfound love for what I was getting into when choosing to go back and listen to the work pre-DJ-Kicks. It’s bubbly synths, euphoric without treading too far into obscurity, and bringing it all together with transient vocals whirling through as if it’s exploring new dimensions.

With her DJ-Kicks album, Elkka delivers some original work which gets beautifully blended in without overpowering the experience. That’s what DJ Mixes usually are, and displaying varying aspects of one’s craft and style is exemplary. Elkka’s is just one fantastic collection that will never let the summer feel like it’s dwindling, offering a fiery and refreshing atmosphere to get the party going. It’s a definitive contrast to her more euphoric house constructions in her EPs. Its outstanding moments of euphoric-rave connectivity speak loud, and there’s no better artist to recommend who does so – I’m mean, sure, there may be others, but the love I have for Elkka’s music speaks loud. Check out her music, and let me know what you think!