Tokyo duo ELLEH recently jumped up to a English label — Rare Cut Records — and offered up the third part in their Anthems series last Friday. It starts off with the strongest moment, the previously shared “Everything You Ever Needed,” which still wows with its dizzying climax. While that lead off teases catharsis, the songs that follow double down on ELLEH’s unnerving side. “Make Your Love Worth Living For” struts forward on deep bass notes, a slightly menacing compliment to the lead vocals, which sometimes slip into quick spoken word. “In The Maze” swirls before shuffling ahead, while closer “Your Worst Desires” burbles and flares up around the edges. It highlights a tension lurking in ELLEH’s music, one that makes the temporary release of something like “Everything You Ever Needed” all the more powerful. Listen above.
