New release from Elliphant: “Look Like You Love It”

by Samuel Hernandez

On Elliphant’s new Look Like You Love It EP, the young Swedish songstress channels the aggressive Riot Grrrl movement; alternating between in-your-face shouting with slowed-down sweet moments. Throughout the EP the beats are interrupted by loud klaxons, foot-stomping, and the myriad noises of revolution.

Look Like You Love It is gritty and in the streets. “You wake up every morning in the fat man’s bed…You don’t understand,” the singer sings before letting out a whoop and launching into an impassioned critique of living life with disaffectedly merely “look[ing] like you love it.” Her voice is equally compelling, finding comfort in the space between M.I.A. and an ingeniously crafted reggae vibe and the seductively dangerous Lykke Li. “All Or Nothing”, featuring Bunji Garlin and Diplo, continues to explore the space of musician and activist,  a complement to the earlier critique.

The Look Like You Love It EP, more than anything, blends disparate elements of house music, electronica, and Riot Grrrl to produce a 7 track exploration of the soundtrack for the overthrowing of oppressive regimes. “Revolusion” showcases the singer’s range, moving from monotone pleas to angry shouts while a synth blends the sound underneath.

“Only Getting Younger”, a sentiment that seems to talk about counter-culture movements trickling down to younger and younger generations, is a collaboration with Skrillex. It again, shows Elliphant above a minimalist and haunting piano interlude before erupting into distorted exultations from both the vocals and the track.

Look Like You Love It requires multiple listens to unlock the narrative, whether it’s a running thread of getting up off your feet to protest injustice or getting up off your feet to dance and sweat.