ELHAE’s ‘Trouble in Paradise’ is a Testament to his Artistic Elevation
Without hearing a single track, ELHAE (which stands for Every Life Has An Ending), draws listeners in with the album title Trouble in Paradise, a phrase that is commonly used when describing problems in a relationship. True love entails hard work, sacrifice, and acceptance of a person’s character, but every relationship goes through its highs and lows. However, the way a couple overcomes the bad times is a test to seeing if both parties are in it for the long haul.
On Trouble in Paradise, singer and rapper ELHAE takes listeners on a journey of a break-up, as he masters his artistic prowess in a way his fans haven’t seen before. On previous projects like Aura EP and All Have Fallen, ELHAE is deemed an artist following the blueprint of Childish Gambino and Drake, blending melodies and bars as part of his artistry. However, this album is seemingly his first effort in dropping the rap cadence in its entirety and rather focusing on vocals to tell his rollercoaster love story.
The emotional ride starts on his “Lonely Here (Intro)” where the singer sends a call to voicemail. Smooth piano keys are the background to a woman’s message about feeling bad how things ended. It’s followed by the mid-tempo track “Hennessy” where the singer wears his heart on his sleeve to share his true feelings after having a few drinks in his system. His lyrics of honesty backed by a Latin guitar have his emotions on full display as he says, “I just wanna kiss you madly / Can’t lie girl, I miss you badly / Take me back to the days you had me / Only wanna see you happy.”
Whether the relationship is driving him to drink or leaves him considering a night out of partying on “Wicked,” he showcases how a breakup can take an emotional toll on one’s sanity. His frustration beams on “Over Again” as he knows their relationship goes through the typical break-up to make up mode. His faith is also tested heavily on “I.D.B.I.L.” as he begins questioning if the relationship could work because he’s losing his belief in love.
Each track flows between heartache, vulnerability, and insecurity, however ELHAE’s key factor is his perfection of sequencing. He transitions many of the songs with phone calls and voicemails. First, it was the voicemail message from his girlfriend feeling bad about how things went left, she’s later heard leaving another message accusing ELHAE of disrespect. A message is also heard from his mother who senses something isn’t right and stresses the need to get him back into church. He also answers a call from his friends urging him to club hop, while another friend leaves a message stating how the break-up could be a blessing in disguise. Not only is ELHAE a master storyteller, but his transitions showcase the importance of having genuine people in one’s circle for wisdom and encouragement.
As ELHAE attempts to figure out where the relationship went wrong, he seems to have a change of heart as the album comes to a close. His lush sound accompanied with airy vocals from Sevyn Streeter on “Moments” has the singer reminiscing about the good times in his relationship. As the track fades out, he calls his girl with hopes they can talk things out. How the conversation panned out is really up to a listener’s imagination. It leaves fans wondering if the two will call it quits for good or come to a reconciliation. Perhaps his next project will be a conclusion to this troubled love chapter.
The production and storytelling across mid-tempo grooves, slow jams, and dreamy collaborations show ELHAE’s elevation in his craft. He may have received artist comparisons earlier in his career, but Trouble in Paradise is the sound of an artist truly coming into his own.
