Elderbrook – Little Love

It is a certain rarity to have an emotional narrative alongside cold electronics. It is difficult to navigate a story through synths and drum patterns combined in a DAW. Nevertheless, Elderbrook’s new album ‘Little Love’ develops a story about a love like no other. 

“I wanted her to know then, and always, that I’d be there for her.” – Elderbrook

Elderbrook AKA Alexander Kotz is a UK based producer, musician and songwriter. His new album ‘Little Love’ – written in the midst of the pandemic – is a tentative outlook on parental life. Classic house beats are paired with synths that settle you into the genre with a comfortably sense of familiarity. He has signposted the beginning of summer with a new birth, a new beginning and ‘Little Love’ is something you can get your teeth into as we leave winter behind us. 

The 12-track album explores parental love and all that comes with it; melodic vocal lines guide you through a narrative and each word clings to the story with every breath. There is no question that the lyrics hold emotion, with notable tracks: ‘I’ll Be Around’ feat. Amtrac and ‘Howl’ particularly tugging on parental heartstrings. Kotz gets creative by layering vocal lines to create depth, giving off a vibe that feels full of life. A soft amount of delay and reverb on the vocals throughout the album add to his ethereal, mystical motif and he has clearly forged a beautiful relationship with his new baby girl. 

Sensitive and introspective, Kotz has historically been known to have a strong identity within his music. The drums often found in progressive house music with an addition of pop driven synthesisers feature throughout the album create a beautiful amalgamation of two different worlds. There is a nice amount of experimentation in ‘I Need You’ and ‘Tied To You’, with melodic lines deviating away from the predictability of traditional house music. Not only is the album easy to listen to but it sits reliably within pop culture.

Live from his set in Colorado, Elderbrook debuted his new album with a mix performed in the serene American countryside. Nature and its pure innocence acts as a fresh accompaniment to his established sound. “To feel everything, with everyone, through dance music” is a quote from producer, Tourist – himself fresh from the release of most recent album ‘Inside’. Kotz appears to share this ideology with his touching lyrics and uplifting melodies.

The vibrancy of new life floods Elderbrook’s ‘Little Life’. The complexities of parenthood are soothed by his traditional house sound and his new album is a delicate recount of his experiences.

7/10

Words: Isabel Armitage