Elias Possesses a Voice That'll Drop Your Jaw: Here's "Down N Out"

Photo by Ninja Hanna

Sometimes it's all about the voice. That's not to say the instrumentation on this track doesn't make your chest wobble—the unabashedly brash brass, the anxious piano chords and thunder beats, and those hi-hats that rattle the windows like a 7.5 quake on the Richter. All these elements are working for "Down N Out," but it's Elias vocal, rich like the most calorific cake on earth, that'll keep you coming back. It's insane that these tones come out of a such a slight frame. It's like when you heard Antony Hegarty pipes for the first time. Too good.

For this song the young Swedish artist enlisted some powerhouse pals: John Hill (Santigold's frequent collaborator, Rihanna),

Ajay Bhattacharyya (Gallant) and

Daniel Ledinsky (Erik Hassle, Tove Love).

Last fall he released his first EP (

Warcry

), and "Down N Out," out today, is part of a double A-side including "Makin Me Happy."

"To me this song is about the constant quest for something different, something higher or bigger than the town or constellation your in, something that can satisfy your hunger," he explains. "I'm always hunting for that feeling, even though I know the feeling will only last for a short while and I know the quest is the thing that will make me fall. So far I haven't found a way to live without the quest."

Listen below:

"Down N Out / Makin Me Happy" is out today via Warner.