When I first heard Riverside by Elsie and The Vibe, I didn’t expect it to be this electrifying and monumental.
As the Melbourne-raised, Brooklyn-based artist begins singing with that beautiful voice and it’s smoke coated soul, you know something special is about to happen. Lined with modern references to vintage sounds, Riverside erupts into a soaring choir that swells with explosive brass and strings. When the breakdown hits and they shift into a funk jam that explodes once more, Elsie’s neverending vocals reach the sky with a ferocious commanding storm.
“Lyrically the song didn’t have an identity for a while. I had this strong chorus but couldn’t work out what the song was really about”, Elsie explains. “I dug deep to discover that it was about my battle with cancer. After that realisation the verses just flowed out.”
Look for Elsie and The Vibe’s debut EP on November 22.