British electronic music duo Eli & Fur is a true embodiment of the term ‘multi-hyphenate’.
Not only do they write, produce, sing and perform their music, their creative flair extends further into the worlds of fashion, art and – on a more personal level – culinary pleasures and vintage cars!
And while the the London-born, LA-based longtime friends are enjoying worldwide recognition for their sophisticated and captivating creations, they have remained steadfast, considered and intentional in their trajectory.
As they are preparing for the release of their new LP “Dreamscapes”, a collection of 15 songs that each tells its own story about the introspective, yet
transformative spaces that come alive between the hours of dusk and dawn, we had a chat about inspiration, intention, and authenticity in creation – but not without picking up some shopping and restaurant recommendations in Ibiza and beyond along the way!
And if you are coming to the White Island this summer, you can catch Eli & Fur at Anjunadeep at Club Chinois Ibiza on August 8th alongside Romain Garcia, Simon Doty and Yotto. Get your tickets here.
Congratulations on the new record! The ‘sophomore’ album is said to be notoriously difficult, how did you find the process of gathering inspiration and production compared to your debut?
The more music we make, the more we seem to find ourselves and the confidence to make tracks that just feel very true to us. Releasing music feels like such a lesson each time and what we always hope for is something that connects with the audience that we truly believe in. When those two things align it is a beautiful feeling. We really believe in this music. This album is an honest and real reflection of our emotions and the music we love to make.
Did you feel pressure to live up to the success of the first album? How has your sound evolved between the two?
We always want to be improving, evolving and pushing boundaries so there is definitely pressure to deliver. Our last album had two sides to it – the club side and the more song-based – and with “Dreamscapes” we wanted to merge those worlds more cohesively.
What fascinates you about the space ‘in between’ dusk and dawn, dream and reality?
These are the moments we exist in the most; going from club to club or just in the studio late at night making music. It’s where we thrive the most and get the most inspiration, so it made sense to theme the album this way. Each song tells a story and reflects moments from either a dream or reality, truth or fiction. We love to put ourselves in different shoes to write a song, perhaps about something we have only ever dreamed of. We think this theme gives so much space to experiment musically.
You have written for both the Pet Shop Boys and Girls Aloud, both icons of the British pop scene. What, for you, makes a great pop song?
A great pop song is never over-complicated… It’s instant, hooky and from the heart.
You are performing your first ever live shows this year. How did you choose the three locations and what can we expect?
It was hard trying to decide where to do the shows, it’s a very new thing for us and we are so excited. We hope to take the show to more cities in the future, but for these first shows (our only ‘live’ shows this year) we chose London because it’s where we are both from, LA because it’s where we live and New York because it’s half way between the two!
In a time where people share every detail of their lives on social media, you seem to deliberately avoid overexposure. Why is that, and how do you think it benefits you on a personal and professional level?
Great question. We would say that it’s just important to do what is right for you, not force things. We just participate in social media enough that we are comfortable with it and stick with things that feel right. The most natural and real content will be what connects with your audience the most and feels authentic to you.
Your career trajectory has been described as ‘intentional and a deliberate slow burn’ – how important (and how challenging) is it to follow your intuition and choose partnerships, gigs and collaboration in alignment with your vision?
Really important. We never want to look back and feel like we did anything that felt inauthentic. If we have a moment where things are suddenly more hyped than usual we want to feel proud of whatever has created that. Whether it’s a song, a collaboration, or just an idea.
You have teamed up with several renowned brands for fashion collaborations, could we see an extension of the Eli & Fur merchandise collection in the future?
There’s so many things we want to do, it’s just finding the time and having the right idea. We definitely hope for something like that in the future. We want to grow in all areas of art and fashion, as it’s a huge passion for us.
Where are your favourite places to shop, emerging designers you love or vintage stores to hunt for pre-loved treasures?
Fur is a vintage lover, she’s always got some great finds. We both shop a lot online but there are also certain places we love to discover new pieces around the world. Bali is an amazing place for clothes, so many new designers have shops there as production is a lot cheaper. We have found some amazing clothing out there… it’s a favourite place to shop for sure!
Eli, as a foodie, what are your favourite countries to dive into the local culinary culture? Have you picked up any niche recipes or unusual snacks you love from your travels all over the world?
I adore food, it’s one of my favourite things about travel. Italy is my favourite, which is probably not a surprise! But really I love and eat everything. I think the most interesting thing I’ve eaten recently is a cauliflower mushroom. You just eat it raw with a little olive oil and salt and it’s delicious.
Fur, we are so impressed with your skills of restoring vintage cars. Are you self-taught, and what is the hardest part?
Yes I’m self-taught. I think I was born in the wrong era. Or I’m somehow stuck in the ’60s. I really like how everything looked back then; the design, the interior, the cars. In regards to the car, Mustangs have been my favourite since I was 14 years old. It was my dream car, so as soon as I could afford it I got one. I managed to work on it with my Dad in the lockdown, which was great – it was a good bonding experience for us and I learned so much. The car needs consistent maintenance but being able to do some of the work myself is very rewarding. The hardest part is that it doesn’t have power steering or AC, but it keeps me strong!
As we are based on Ibiza, would you mind sharing some of your favourite places to eat, relax, dance, or hang out on the island?
We love the island so much! For lunch we adore El Carmen at Cala d’hort, the food is simple and delicious with the perfect view. Hiking to the highest point on the island, Cap de Sa Talaia in Sant Josep is a great activity on a day when it’s not too hot. For a special occasion or romantic dinner, one of our favourite places is Amalur.
“Dreamscapes” drops on September 27th 2024 on [PIAS] Électronique. You can see Eli & Fur in person at the Dreamscapes: Live tour at The Fonda Theatre, LA (October 12th), at Brooklyn Steel in New York (October 19th) and at Village Underground in London (November 16th). To connect with Eli & Fur and for all the important links, follow them on Instagram at @eliandfur.
Picture credit: SJ Spreng.
