ELLiS·D (GB) at Haldern Pop Bar
Drummer-turned-solo artist ELLiS·D spent their formative years flailing their limbs across the tattered kits of the UK and Europe’s basement scene before starting out their solo project in 2022. The ensuing eighteen months has seen them in a state of consistent gigging and touring throughout the sweaty dives of the continent bringing their raw, mercurial live performance to stages from London to Luxembourg, Bristol to Brussels, Kendal to Kusel.
Backed by a near continuously shifting set of session musicians on tour, in the studio ELLiS·D channels the workhorse-like energy of fellow multi-instrumentalists Ty Segall, Prince and Kevin Parker to mould a sound that once feels familiar but also completely their own. Embodying the extravagance and glam-pop sensibilities of the likes of Marc Bolan and New York Dolls, with the dark lyrical sensitivity and intensity of The Smiths and Jehnny Beth, ELLiS·D creates something uniquely contradictory. Jangly, threadbare riffs weave their way through CAN inspired rhythmic pulses as hook-smeared repetitions and explosive, abstract vocal acrobatics flow and fight their way into psych-driven instrumentals.
Debut single ‘Straitjacket Blues’ caught the attention of Tom Robinson leading to consistent airplay on BBC Radio 6 alongside support slots for Razorlight at Brighton Dome and Hammersmith Apollo in April 2023, and a longlist nomination for the Glastonbury Emerging competiton.
2023 became a prolific year as three further single releases preceded 7-track EP ‘Hullo, Reality!’ in October, released both digitally and on 12″ vinyl through DIY label Crafting Room Recordings, before joining forces with The DSM IV for a three week co-headline tour across the UK and Europe, culminating in a sold out hometown show at Brighton’s The Hope & Ruin.
Fresh off the back of a UK tour for Independent Venue Week 2024, ELLiS·D returned with a swift follow up to the psych-glam offerings of ‘Hullo, Reality!’ EP with ghoulish and elusive new single ‘Humdrum’ delving into darker sonic territories in a sound reminiscent of The Wytches-meets-Talking Heads, leading to a nomination for Green Man Rising 2024, further national radio and press attention and slots at Kendal Calling and Left Of The Dial.
“Enigmatic solo artist ELLiS·D pulsates with a breakneck, anxiety-ridden rumble of new wave rock, delivering a propulsive and unrelenting energy that is both captivating and insidiously direct” – The Daily Music Report
“Baroque post-punk shivers” – Louder Than War
“Insistent energy and wonderful yelping vocals” – Tom Robinson BBC Radio 6
