Elmiene made considerable waves when his debut EP Marking My Time dropped last year. Since then, the singer-songwriter has been riding the waves of the project’s momentum on both sides of the pond. While the recording showcases his talents quite well, we’ve found that his live performances are where Elmiene truly shines. Those who haven’t had the pleasure now get to experience this for themselves with the release of his new live EP Live At RAK Studios.
Live At RAK Studios consists of live versions of four of Marking My Time’s songs — “Mama,” “Mad At Fire,” “Someday” and “Marking My Time.” The versions presented here aren’t too far off from what we hear on Marking My Time. However, with some of the studio polish toned down, they seem to feel more personal and intimate. Whether it be a slight change to the instrumentation or even tweaks to the delivery of certain vocals or lyrics, the set’s songs bloom in the live setting.
Perhaps the song that benefits most from the live experience is “Mad At Fire.” Starting with the same quiet as the studio version, Elmiene’s live vocal lends a bit more fiery urgency to the emotions that it conjures. This is also true of the instrumentation, which includes tender guitar and a crisp snare that snaps alongside hi-hats at the song’s emotional climax.
If you happened to sleep on Elmiene last year, Live At RAK Studio is a fitting alarm to wake you up from your slumber. Listen to the full EP and watch two live performance videos for “Someday” and “Marking My Time” below.
Elmiene Live At RAK Studios [Amazon][Apple Music][TIDAL]
