Guelph, Ontario based beatmaker and producer Sona Elango, better known as Elaquent, is best regarded for his warm blend of instrumental hip hop, jazz, and electronic music. Using mainly samplers and drum machines, Elaquent’s sound is atmospheric and conceptual, with each record a season in its own right.
In 2020 Elaquent released Forever is A Pretty Long Time, a compilation record that was a departure from the primarily beats heavy albums released in prior years. Forever is a Pretty Long Time paired jazzy vibrations, saxophone loops, and drum kicks, with notable MC’s like Oddisee, Blu, Guilty Simpson, Chester Watson, and Cavalier, with each vocalist adding varied textures of instrumentation.
Elaquent is now set to release his forthcoming self-produced sixteen-track LP, Long Drives to Nowhere, on June 17, 2022 via URBNET.
The record began to take shape in February 2021, but initially started as just an abstract wave of inspiration. With no initial plans to develop an album, Elaquent prioritized recording as simply a healthy outlet for processing pandemic related doom. A tangible record developed over the course of 2021, with the use of Maschine+ and Serato Studio.
Earning its name from a friend’s relatable twitter post, Long Drives to Nowhere was primarily recorded at Elaquent’s home studio, with a quick jaunt to Niagara Falls for the closing process. Leaving the four walls of familiarity, however, proved to cause more harm than good.
Elaquent explains, "I went to Niagara Falls to finish the album thinking I just needed to go somewhere with a cool view to finish the record. For whatever reason, my anxiety ended up being really high and I just wasn’t in a good place throughout that process…but it also motivated me to take control of my life (and album) back".
The record is thoughtfully reflective, and journals the mental turbulence of feeling stuck but wanting more for yourself, and then pushing yourself to get there. As explained by Elaquent, "Ultimately this is a record about not giving up on yourself and taking the steps to move forward".
Citing influences as The Kount, 10.4 Rog, and Kaelen Ellis, Long Drives to Nowhere maintains Elaquent’s signature warmth and honey-like consistency on each track. The record feels dreamy and nostalgic without relying on tropes, primarily due to Elaquent’s skill in translating relatable themes into instrumentation.
In addition to the occasional writer's block, Elaquent also managed the ups and down of acquiring and then losing a rotating list of guest features, forcing the record into a constant state of revision. Despite the instability in obtaining fellow collaborators, Long Drives to Nowhere presents so strongly as a well crafted and genuine experience that is true to the artist's story.
