Ela Minus shares entrancingly immersive new album DÍA

Following the release of her dizzyingly powerful debut album ‘acts of rebellion’ five years ago, Ela Minus has made a groundbreaking return. Her new album DÍA proves, yet again, that Ela’s unbridled imagination, technical genius, and bold sonic intuition make her one of the most exciting artists in today’s scene.

Photo by Alvaro Arisó

The Colombian artist’s sound is a meticulously crafted blend of compelling dance beats and reflective soothings. From playing across Colombia in hardcore band Ratón Pérez, to becoming immersed in improvisational jazz at Berklee College of Music, Minus has developed a deliciously genre-defying sound.

At its core, new record DÍA is centred on the theme of becoming. Its ten tracks are a product of the singer’s self-discovery journey since her debut, informed by her time travelling her native Colombia, Mexico, North America and Europe. Despite initially feeling that her record was completed, Ela grew a strong desire to explore her emotions more deeply than she had in ‘acts of rebellion’.

She began digging deeper, changing her setting to an outpost in California’s Mojave Desert, to a small studio in Los Angeles, and then back to New York, before shifting to a Puget Sound-side vista near Seattle, to Mexico City, and finally landing in London.

It was in a rented cabin in the mountains of Mexico where she struck gold in a chord progression which she knew would launch the record, opening with its strong, luxuriant tone in track one, ‘ABRIR MONTE’.

Ela comments, “‘ABRIR MONTE’ is a phrase commonly used where I'm from, referring to the act of opening paths through dense foliage. I've always loved the poetry of it. That is what making this record felt like, opening new paths inward and outward, continuing to delve further through unexplored territory.”

As the entrancing lashings of this opener come to a close, we are launched into the world of euphorically immersive track ‘BROKEN’, which was released as a single back in October. Its relentless atmosphere is crafted through expansive synthesisers, upbeat dance rhythms, and captivating lyrical flourishes. “I’ve been a fool / acting all cool / and now I’m broken”, Ela sings in the choruses.

Following the beautifully dark and bass-driven track ‘IDK’ is ‘QQQQ’, whose lyrics are sung in her native language, Spanish. Ela shares her feelings of detachment and disappointment with profound honesty, declaring in translated lyrics “If it’s going to be like this, / let the world end”.

Trilogy of songs ‘ONWARDS’, ‘AND’, and ‘UPWARDS’ catapults listeners through unwavering energy, pulsing anticipation, and pure triumph. The trilogy’s resolution, ‘UPWARDS’ feels particularly powerful, with its unparalleled synth sweeps and thoughtful lyrics reflecting on the importance of self-care, healing, and taking responsibility for your life: “I'd love to save you / but you’ve got to save yourself / I'd love to save you / but I’ve got to save myself first".

The record’s final track ‘COMBAT’ welcomes a gloriously ascending collection of synths, horns, and strings to bring a close to DÍA, marking Ela Minus as one of the most promising artists in the electronic music scene.

You can catch Ela Minus live this year at support slots for Caribou and Floating Points, and appearances at festivals including End of The Road Festival, UK, and Estéreo Picnic Festival, Colombia. Tickets available here.

Live dates:

Wed. Oct.16 - Amsterdam, NL @ Melkweg (ADE) ^

Sat. Oct. 19 - Paris, FR @ From Our Minds / FVTVR (Art Basel) - DJ set

Sat. Dec. 14 - Berlin, DE @ Silent Green (OPIA)

Mon. Feb. 3 - Paris, FR @ Zenith *

Tue. Feb. 4 - Luxembourg, LX @ Rockhal *

Wed, Feb. 5 - Utrecht, NL @ Tivoli *

Thu. Feb. 6 - London, UK @ Roundhouse *

Fri. Feb. 7 - London, UK @ Roundhouse *

Sat. Feb. 8 - London, UK @ Roundhouse *

Sun. Feb. 9 - Leeds, UK @ O2 Academy *

Mon. Feb. 10 - Bristol, UK @ Bristol Beacon *

Tue. Feb. 11 - Brussels, BE @ Ancienne Belgique *

We. Feb. 12 - Brussels, BE @ Ancienne Belgique *

Fri. Feb. 14 - Berlin, DE @ Velodrom *

Sun. Mar. 30 - Bogotá, Colombia @ Estéreo Picnic

* = supporting Caribou

^ = supporting Floating Points