JAKE ELIJAH

Raised on the warmth of 60’s and 70’s classics, songwriter Jake Elijah brings sounds of nostalgia to his unique indie-rock compositions.  With his first full LP out now on Earth Libraries, Little Errands is a nod to the greats Jake was raised on as a kid- and if it’s any indication of what the future holds for him, we can expect exciting this down the road for this songwriter.

Beginning with nothing but an iMac and Garageband, Jake Elijah experimented with songwriting starting at 10 years old making “funny” songs on Youtube.  Though his sound is now refined and equipment has been upgraded, the loose, casual nature of his process remains the same. 

During a semester abroad in Greece, Jake experienced one of “the most prolific periods” of songwriting in his life.  Using a midi he bought in the city, Jake wrote the majority of his debut LP Little Errands from the walls of his Grecian apartment.  Listening to Randy Newman, Adam Green, and Paul McCartney, Jake was heavily inspired by feelings of nostalgia while writing his record- a theme that weaves its way in and out of the release.  Starting out at the piano, Jake records scraps of melodies for hours in his voice memos- ideas he later fleshes out on guitar, bass, and drums.  With some songs coming to him in minutes, while others being a cumulation of slow burning ideas, Jake’s music has a light-hearted sound that reflects the “laughter behind the scenes” of his work. 

With his first full LP out now on Earth Libraries, Little Errands is a nod to the greats Jake was raised on as a kid.  Working closely with producer and musician Kevin Basko in his analog studio Historic New Jersey Recordings, Jake captured the rich sound of the 70’s in this 2021 release.  After meeting Kevin at a Weyes Blood show, the two struck up a conversation about recording together.  It started when Kevin challenged Jake to sit down and write 10 songs, just him and his piano.  Jake went about this approach with “no pre-conceptions of how it should sound.”  Starting at the piano, Jake let the melodies flow, improvising “nonsensical” lyrics that ended up on the final record.  

Recording 100% analog for the first time in Kevin’s studio, Jake was able to keep the integrity of the stripped down demos as he fleshed out full compositions with Kevin performing the drums, bass, and guitar parts.  Following Kevin’s ethos of quick-paced writing and never dwelling on anything for too long, the songs of Little Errands came to Jake effortlessly.  As the ideas flow, Jake rolls with it explaining that he has “no idea what it meant in the moment, but it [the meaning] comes after.”  

Since his exciting 2021 release, Jake has continued to experiment and push his sound to new places. In tune with his casual approach, Jake maintains a fairly regular schedule of releasing demos and singles on his Bandcamp. His ambitious and non-stop stream of content is an impressive virtue that keeps listeners on their toes for what’s next.

After years of experimentation and self-released music on Bandcamp, Jake is a shining example of the dedicated grind of being an independent artist.  From his humble beginnings at home, to working at Historic New Jersey Recordings, Jake is just beginning his exciting music career.  With a debut LP as strong and sonically vibrant as Little Errands, it’s safe to say the future holds exciting projects for this songwriter.  

Keep up with Jake Elijah