The UK’s anthemic, alternative-rock scene has promoted some successful acts in recent years, with the likes of Mallory Knox and Lower than Atlantis, and though ‘Where I Belong’ isn’t perfect, it shows enough potential for Elasea to be considered for that level of success in the future.
Opener ‘Glass Heart’ sets a strong foundation with an infectious chorus and interesting structure, with a heavier take on alternative-rock that’s reminiscent of Exit Ten. It’s in these moments that Elasea are at their best; the instrumentation has attitude and the catchy choruses work well. This style is revisited further along the EP with the excellent ‘Time is Against Us’, however in between these stand out tracks, the songs veer off in directions that lead down generic paths, stifling the quality of the record.
‘Where I Belong’ is somewhat jarring, opening with a riff that would serve a pop-punk band well, before ‘Lost in the Dark’ changes the feeling once more, transitioning into a straight-up alternative rock ballad. While the power of the vocals and instrumentation remains strong through these tracks, the structures are more standardised and the choruses less interesting, making these songs disappointing in comparison to the more unique offerings on the record.
EP closer ‘On the Line’ shows the band’s softer side with its soothing acoustic guitar and female vocal parts, however the low-register delivery of the male vocals is off putting and detracts from an otherwise successful end to the record.
At their best, Elasea create some strong and infectious songs, however the variation in styles from one track to the next stops the EP from feeling like a cohesive package. Ironically, this prevents ‘Where I Belong’ from having a strong identity and it’s difficult to gauge what a full-length album would sound like. If it contained more tracks like ‘Glass Heart’ or ‘Time is Against Us’, then Elasea would no doubt be onto a winner, however some refinement is required before their full potential can be realised.
MARK JOHNSON