‘Cookies’ - Elan Brio
This week we delve into Elan Brio’s ‘Cookies’
Elan Brio’s production journey has been long and winding road. He started producing 15 years ago. Initially creating beats to rap over for himself, he quickly developed a love for the craft. Honing his sound over the years, this talented producer is hitting his stride saying: ‘My production journey has been amazing and filled with ups and downs. There’s been a lot of wins and failure but I feel like the last year I have found my sound and come into my own. However I’m still chasing that elusive perfect sound.’ ‘Cookies’ is one of his standout projects but how does it factor into the search for the perfect sound?
‘Cookies’’ is a journey of flavours. However on this tape flavours are moods and feelings. As you settle in to ‘Cookies’ it becomes apparent you are treating yourself to a proper array of tastes and feelings. Each track affects your mental palette differently. Enhancing emotions and redirecting your thoughts but never forcefully. This is an easy 24 course tasting menu as opposed to an all you can eat buffet.
Elan Brio explained: ‘Cookies is a concept album. It highlights the many different flavours and moods that are alive and well in Beat culture. The tape is all about different flavours to satisfy the sweet tooth of the listener.’
This concept is enhanced by Elan Brio’s exploration of classic vs contemporary. ‘Cookies’ blends contemporary Beat culture with classic Hip Hop production techniques perfectly. Tracks like ‘Whoopie Pie’ and ‘Vanilla Wafer’ tread this line with grace and a progressive feel. The whole album feels like is a bridge between the two worlds. Elan Brio works this balance with aplomb. It’s clear his foundation was built by the classics but on ‘Cookies’ theres an active drive to experiment and see where this producer can take the sound. Speaking on this balance Elan Brio was forthwith with his take on it ‘I just make what I feel and what I love. It’s classic Hip Hop 90% of the time but that can always change. I fell in love with the Golden Era sound so I gravitate more toward that.’
Another key feature of ‘Cookies’ is the bombastic production. This is BIG production, especially in the drum work. The rhythm section is bold and strong with its heels most definitely dug in. The sample work doesn’t slack either. The melodics are full to the brim but are still able to be delicate if needed. Take ‘Nutter Butter’. The track is buoyed by the rigid funk of the drums but over this a fuzzy piano floats from note to note, bringing a sense of calm to underpin the neck snapping beat. ‘Cookies’ shows Elan Brio at total production confidence. This is further enhanced by the OG compositions. If the beats were a speech Elan Brio would be speaking from his chest on ‘Cookies’.
‘Cookies’ is a unique album. It’s concept of flavours as feelings is non intrusive but impactful. The blurred lines Elan Brio treads between classic and contemporary, give the album an experimental edge whilst staying true to the roots of beatmaking. Elan Brio’s bombastic production underpins all this. Never scared to present his sounds in their fullest capacity. ‘Cookies’ is a project to get your teeth into. Let Elan Brio serve you this dessert tray of feels and enjoy.
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Listen to ‘Cookies’ here: