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Electronic music for a place beyond the club: Elysia Crampton
Elysia Crampton is an artist who breaks further into a fascinating artistic place with every release. In her music, she’s gradually forming a theory, an idea. Intellectually, this idea is comparable to the ethos of Chicago’s the Black Madonna or Norway’s Jenny Hval. That these two artists are radically different is testament to the scale and originality of Crampton’s work.
Her latest release Demon City incorporates cumbia, house, R&B and huayno, amongst a unique tapestry of other music. However, listing its influences is a poor description of the record. More than just the sum of its parts, the heart of its power lies in its integrity. There’s an explosive and volatile tribalism to the record which seems part spiritual, part sexual.
Like contemporary of otherly electronic music Arca, her records don’t ask for the acceptance of labels or the radio or DJ circuits, they’re made of uncool sounds like percussive, Peruvian bells and autotuned cackles. This relationship with and oftentimes disregard of acceptance – something a trans ex-sex worker like herself, knows a lot about – has led her to a triumphant series of releases.
Listen to her track with Rabit, ‘Demon City’ and keep an eye out for Crampton, soon to be twisting a musical norm near you.
