In October 2020, Ela Minus, percussionist whose trademark is analog productions, released her album «Acts of Rebellion». This album with sensitive, dancing and rebellious sounds did not go unnoticed within the Futurgrooves team. Review of the album «Acts of Rebellion» for this first article of the series «Album of the month».
Ela Minus : from percussion to analog
Ela Minus, released her first album « Acts of Rebellion » in October 2020. The young musician, composer and producer of Colombian origin is today based in Brooklyn. Gabriela Jimeno aka Ela Minus has always been rocked by music. She debuted in Colombia as a drummer in her revolting hardcore punk band: Ratón Perez. She then left her native country to study percussions at the prestigious Berklee College of Music in the United States. Once the percussion mastered, the electronic music of Boston night clubs will arouse the curiosity of Ela Minus who will begin a Master in Electronic Production and Design. These years also allowed her to fall in love with Jazz and analog synthesizers. Today, Ela Minus establishes a simple and disconcerting link between punk, jazz, pop and electro.
Acts of Rebellion : rebellious and sensitive
Her latest album, “Acts of rebellion” is tinged with modern and retro sounds that reflect the reality of 2020: an invitation to brave the forbidden in times of pandemic. Between catchy beats and soaring sounds, Ela Minus makes the apology of “rebellion” by the small gestures of the daily life.
It is with «N19 5NF» that Gabriela invites us to a walk between instrumental tracks and concise texts that describe a reality that is common to us « They told us it was hard, but they were wrong » then invites us to rethink our relationship to prohibition. High, repetitive, soothing, this title is the demonstration of a state of lethargy that has nothing insurmountable.
Ela Minus then offers a share of herself with a disconcerting franchise via the title « el cielo no es de nadie ». With this title, she went back to her mother tongue, the texts carried by a catchy beat. A soft voice, troubled breaths, a sentimental texts and frank basses, Ela Minus indulges herself without detour. After the melancholy, comes the revolt with « Megapunk », like an awakening, a slap, this title brings us back to clubs, lights and endless nights.
Like a muddy and fuzzy tomorrow, « dominique » marks a second time, that of introspection, of questioning a world that many of us no longer understand. It is by mixing her native Spanish and English that Ela Minus has found the way to transmit her anxieties, on a rhythm that is nevertheless catchy, even adventurous and joyful.
The introspection behind us, Gabriela then addresses the question of interpersonal relations in a perceptible, electronic, cold and finally reassuring chaos with the instrumental title « let them have internet » as well as with « Tony ». This second track arrives quickly, awakens us in an insolent and rebellious tone! Naturally, the end of the album Acts of Rebellion is punctuated by rebellious and dissident sounds, evoking a dream world, calm, soothed and soothing. It is with « Close », that Ela Minus, accompanied by Helado Negro closes her album. A last disconcerting and almost childish title that reminds us that as rebellious as we are, we all need each other.
The question of the Futurgrooves team
«Acts of Rebellion», a disorienting album that the Futurgrooves team loved. Frank, emotional, personal and inclusive, this album is certainly emblematic of a unique and universal period. «Acts of rebellion» asks a question in its wake: is it really an act of rebellion to call oneself a rebel?