Released - October 2021
Label - OneTime!
Upon first discovering Oakland-born artist Elujay in 2016 I knew he was onto something special. Instantly drawn to his blending of witty rap with live instrumentation, I watched him gradually move from 'traditional' rapping in favour of a more melodic delivery with 2017’s ‘Linguistics’ and 2018’s ‘Little Things’.
At the time I considered Elujay to be simply another of many promising artists worth keeping up with, but that soon changed as he steadily gained recognition through a beautiful blending of neo-soul, indie rock and hip-hop, creating gorgeous easy-going tracks each time adding a new element and layer to his artistry.
2020’s ’GEMS IN THE CORNERSTORE’ album - a collaborative project with Baltimore producer J. Robb may have gotten a little lost among the genre-bending albums that came out last year yet it remains one of my favourite projects for its organic feel. Fast forward to latest single ‘Luvaroq’ and we find Elujay back in this vein and still experimenting for the better. This gorgeous slow-paced reggae-inspired track showcases live instrumentation with such sophistication instantly reminiscent of Half Pint and Cocoa Tea, giving it a purposefulness that Elujay seizes instantly.
"I’m not one to waste your time”
Found amongst the beautiful musical arrangements and lyrics is Elujay’s voice, which smoothly places you in a state of ease, the drawn-out notes injecting emotion and appeal into us directly.
Serpentwithfeet's feature is a mastery of sincerity and sweetness, making this track's charm and romance overspill, a perfect pairing.
‘Lovaroq’ completes a trilogy of singles including June’s ‘Frequently’ and stunning 2-step kissed ‘1080P’.Elujay is building up for something amazing and if an album is on the horizon we are really in for a treat.
Comments