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| Elleodin |
Guys, Today we are jumping into a conversation with Elleodin mastermind and gifted instrumentalist who is behind the enticing Electronic tracks and her recent song, “Cadmus”.Hailing from Guildford, UK, Elleodin isn’t an ordinary songwriter. She is a storyteller, mixing dreamy sounds with gritty vibes to create music that feels like a trip.
Elleodin reveals her upbringing at the piano, fiddling and being captivated by Kate Bush and other musicians. Her music is an ode to fantasy and escape from reality, and you will see that in every note.
She shared her creative process is usually trying some stuff while flowing with the stream. And among other things, as she grows, her music grows with her, getting darker and deeper, but sticking to the core of her craft.
In our conversation, Elleodin describes her dreams—think concept albums and collaborations based on Greek myths. She is also candid about the strife like attempting to focus on one thing at a time in a world that always pulls you to different directions.
Last but not least Elleodin thanks her fans by sending a shoutout to them, she uses humour and makes it real. With her, it’s not just about making music; it’s about all of us going on a mad, stunning musical journey through sounds and the mind.
Listen to Cadmus below
https://open.spotify.com/album/0ODxvjranPYkyLz7qLuSxM
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What is your stage name
Elleodin – pronounced “El-oh-din”.
Is there a story behind your stage name?
Around the time I started making electronic music, I was in the middle of reading Patrick Rothfuss’ Kingkiller Chronicles. There is a minor character in that series called “Elodin”. I really liked him as a character, and I liked how his name looked and sounded. I didn’t want to use the exact name, so I feminised it to Elleodin.
Where do you find inspiration?
It’s hard to predict where inspiration might come from, however if I go looking for it, it’s reliably come from travel, or the art and media that I consume. Travel obviously isn’t often possible, so if I’m running dry I’ll search it out in books, art or media.
Though, I think even if it comes from art or travel, subconsciously, I’ve imprinted my own emotions in there somewhere, even if it’s in the guise of a character I’ve created in my head.
The best kind of inspiration is the kind that feels like a complete idea that’s been handed to you from nowhere. But even that, I assume, is some kind of amalgamation of all of the above.
What was the role of music in the early years of your life?
It was a way to escape into my imagination. There were certain albums or mixtapes that my parents had which would create a movie-like experience in my head, and I would happily listen to them on repeat, trying to visualise whatever story / world my brain was coming up with.
READ ALSO: Embracing Musical Fusion: The Journey of Leekayja
Are you from a musical or artistic family?
On the surface, no. My parents were both scientists. However, they were both into music and played instruments for fun. I think I heard my dad play the piano pretty much everyday. My mum had a lot of artistic hobbies, and I remember her singing a lot as well.
She and my grandmother taught me how to draw – that was the first skill I desperately wanted to learn as a child, long before any instruments. But visuals and music have always been intrinsically tied for me.
Who inspired you to be a part of the music industry?
Kate Bush was a big part of what inspired me to write songs, and eventually enter the music industry. As a teenager I became obsessed with her discography. I loved researching the lyrics of her songs and learning about where she got her ideas from. They were unusual and inspired by a whole range of subjects and stories and at the time, I’d never heard anything like it. I wanted to be able to create something like that.
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How did you learn to sing/write/to play?
I didn’t have lessons as a child, but I loved spending time at the piano. I’d teach myself songs by finding the right melody note by note, which was a tedious and roundabout way of learning, but being able to find something by ear has become a useful skill now.
Later on, my dad taught me the basics of chords, and he showed me how to play songs by having me watch him and copy his movements.
I’ve tried having piano lessons a few times as an adult, but I find it quite difficult to override the instinct to stop looking at the sheet music and play by ear once I’ve heard what the song sounds like. Something that’s been more useful for me is studying specific styles of composition that interests me, as well music theory.
For singing and bass guitar, I had lessons as an adult and I got really lucky with my teachers. For synthesisers and music production, I’ve mostly learnt through experimentation.
What was the first concert that you ever went to and who did you see perform?
I think it was an Alice Cooper show, I’ve seen him quite a few times.
How could you describe your music?
Cinematic and ethereal, with elements of shoegaze and dream pop sprinkled in there as well.
Describe your creative process.
It depends on the song. If I get a melody in my head, I’ll sketch it out on piano and record scratch vocals if there’s lyrics, and go from there. Otherwise, I’ll be experimenting with a particular process or piece of equipment, come across a certain sound or vibe that I like, and then build a song based around that.
READ ALSO: Riding the ‘Storm’: A Conversation with Brian Hingerty
I’ll try and start simple, and then experiment with what I’ve got in every way possible. Once I’ve created a layered, chaotic mess, I’ll dial it back a bit and cut what’s not needed. Even when working with electronic elements, I want them to sound organic – more like lightning rather than a machine.
Something I do every time is make sure I have a firm grasp on the visuals the song is creating in my mind, and build a mood board that roughly represents what I’m seeing. That will act as a visual guide for what direction the song needs to go.
What is your main inspiration?
Fantasy and escapism.
What musician do you admire most and why?
It’s a producer duo: KOAN Sound. Their sound design is insane. I’ll listen to their albums and I cannot figure out how they’ve done certain things, it sounds like magic. I’d love to see their creative process.
Did your style evolve since the beginning of your career?
Definitely, I think it’s only natural. At the beginning of my career I was a part of a label which was largely lo-fi / hip-hop / trip-hop based and that influenced my music to veer more in that direction. I’d do a lot more sampling or chopping things up back then, and for a while, I didn’t really use a piano for writing.
Now that I’m independent I’ve grown to have a much better idea of what kind of sounds l like and what equipment I like to use, as well as what kind of processes suit me best – such as composing on piano first. Being the bassist of Bitchin’ Hour also influenced my style a lot, both in the way I compose and the fact I’ve grown to love darker, heavier sounds.
Who do you see as your main competitor?
I don’t really view other artists as competitors. If another artist is making something similar to me, it’s more affirming than anything else.
What are your interests outside of music?
I’m learning Japanese, otherwise I like running and hiking, or gaming when I have the time.
If it wasn’t a music career, what would you be doing?
After nine years of doing something or other in music industry, it’s quite hard to imagine what else I’d do or could do at this point but it would probably involve another artistic avenue in some way. Something I want to branch out into is composing for games. It’s still in the music industry I suppose, but if I decided to stop making my own music, that’s the first thing I’d try and do.
What is the biggest problem you have encountered in the journey of music?
I think for me, it’s having to come to the realisation again and again that I’m a terrible multitasker. I always have the delusion that I can do multiple things at once and I have to constantly remind myself to just focus on one thing at a time, or else everything suffers.