On her second EP of 2021, Emma Kirby, AKA Elkka, continues to process the complex feelings that the events of 2020 and 2021 set in motion. Her previous EP, Euphoric Melodies, searched for euphoria in a time when the feeling was scarce. Harmonic Frequencies, however, is the London-based Welsh producer looking to music as means to soothe and heal. “Working on this music was something that helped keep me afloat emotionally through a tough time,” she tells Apple Music. “It’s a diary of a transitional period and tracks like ‘Voices’ and ‘Music To Heal To’ were made to be therapeutic, while ‘Harmonic Frequencies’ was made towards the end of the period and is full of bubbling anticipation about colour coming back into our lives again.” All intricate melodies and expertly deployed vocal samples, the EP continues to establish Elkka as one of the UK’s most accomplished and inventive electronic music producers. “I always hoped my music could be listened to in very different situations and have a different impact on the listener,” she says. “Whether that’s on a big system in a club or quietly alone at home, I hope the music touches and impacts people in different ways. I always intended to make music that goes beyond dancefloor records and I think this EP is a step in that direction.” Here she talks us through each of the four tracks. “Harmonic Frequencies” “This track came together quite quickly and is one of the clubbiest records I think I’ve ever made. I was putting stuff together for my first live show in years and just wanted something that bridged a few tracks in the set. I started with my Roland TR-8S drum machine and quite quickly thought, ‘This could actually be a really good track.’ It was very organic and as there was no intention for it to be anything particularly special when I started work on it, it seemed to come together very easily.” “Music To Heal To” “I was at my parents’ in Cardiff and this just came together from me telling myself to sit down and write something to make myself feel better. It must have been February 2021, so I was really fed up of the situation we were all in at the time. I had a MIDI keyboard with me and my Korg Minilogue, as it’s quite compact to travel with, and I use it for everything now. It’s a really warm-sounding synth. This track just poured out of me at a time I was feeling very lost and it’s quite a soothing piece of music. It has my vocals on it too which adds that extra layer of warmth.” “Voices” “I sampled a track from the Julianna Barwick album [Healing Is a Miracle] for this. I rinsed that album all through the lockdowns. It’s just magical to me, the way she puts the tracks together and uses her voice, it’s stunning. I sampled ‘Inspirit’ which has these lovely haunting vocals which really resonated with me. I got the WAV, chopped it up, and thankfully Julianna was happy with it and allowed us to clear the sample.” “escapism” “During the time I made this, I was walking through Wandsworth Common every single day, religiously. So I started recording what was going on around me during my walks, on my iPhone. If you listen closely you can hear the sound of a group of mums having a chat in the background of the track. Once I got that sample home, I used my Korg Minilogue quite heavily. I knew I wanted something on the EP which had that sense of warmth. I made a lot of different tracks that don’t necessarily sound alike, but all share a similar emotion and warmth. ‘escapism’ was the one I landed on and was like ‘OK, this is just what I needed.’”