Elias Erium, producer and label boss of Phenomena, has emerged from his country’s avant-garde electronic landscape as one of Canada’s rising musical mavericks. Elias Erium (previously known as Solid Stone), a Montreal based sound architect, has developed a distinct brand of progressive house and techno.
Renowned for his exacting design and club-effective approach, the Canadian artist has compiled an impressive resume since the moniker’s inception three years ago. Celebrated for his releases via Steyoyoke, Yomo Records, and perhaps most notably Phenomena; the Canadian producer/DJ has been in constant motion, performing at Montreal’s premiere clubs and festivals, while crafting a superlative stream of releases with a broad spectrum of support from Adriatique, Armin Van Buuren, Markus Schulz, Mind Against and Nick Warren, amongst others.
Fresh off the release of his latest 4 track EP, ‘Groove Anomaly,’ and an All Night Long set to celebrate it, we sat down with the phenomenon to discuss all things genre exploration, creative freedom, gig rituals, and more!
WWD: Your latest, genre-spanning EP, ‘Groove Anomaly,’ came out last week. Congrats! How would you describe it in one sentence?
A single track reimagined to flow seamlessly through different genres.
WWD: On ‘Groove Anomaly,’ you remix the title track in 3 different genres – ambient, drum n’ bass, and techno. Can you walk us through each track? What elements do you think resonated from the original version the most?
Of course! The expansion mix came second and it retains a lot of the original elements while shifting the energy and swapping out the softer grooves for more thumping drums and drive.
Then the ambient mix was created, which saw the original completely stripped out leaving just a few elements allowing to reimagine the track into something more ethereal.
Lastly, with the Liquid mix, I wanted to add a completely different groove to the EP with the drum n’ bass direction and also a little bit more melodic as well while retaining the core elements of the tracks. Not always easy with a 50bpm difference!
The most obvious element that was kept throughout the entire EP was the vocals as I find is the easiest element to translate into different genres as well as some other atmospheric and percussive elements.
WWD: What was the creative process like? Did you know what genres you definitely wanted to explore or was it more trial and error? Which one did you enjoy making the most?
I think it all came organically. As soon as I decided to create three additional mixes, I knew which genres they would be since I’ve made ambient and drum n’ bass music in the past. It felt natural to revisit those genres again after a couple of years. The idea of “remixing” your own track into something entirely different is also an interesting challenge to give yourself once in a while. The drum n’ bass mix was my favorite to work on, not only because I really love the genre, but also because it’s completely different from what I typically create on a day-to-day basis. It’s always cool to break the routine once in a while.
WWD: What were some of the challenges you experienced when trying to maintain the essence of the track across the 3 different styles?
I have to be honest, creating these mixes was one of the smoothest processes I’ve ever had in making music. Before even starting, I already knew how I wanted the track to sound, which parts I would keep, and which ones I would set aside or subtly alter. I didn’t overthink trying to include a specific number of elements from the original. I focused more on how the overall track felt. If it could still hint at the original mix while providing a completely new experience, then the goal was accomplished.
WWD: Now that you’ve experimented with a few different genres, are there any others that pique your interest for future releases?
That’s a good question! I haven’t given it much thought, as I tend to focus on what I produce day to day, but I’d love to explore some chillstep and breakbeat!
WWD: The EP came out on your imprint, Phenomena. How does releasing mostly on your own label impact your creativity and output in general?
Total creative freedom is what comes to mind. Having your own label removes the pressure of fitting within certain parameters that may not align with what you truly want to create. While stepping outside your comfort zone is healthy, I believe it’s important to push boundaries in a way that remains authentic to you, rather than catering to someone else’s vision.
WWD: Do you have any plans to feature other artists on Phenomena? If so, what are some things you’re looking for on the label?
Featuring other artists on the label is definitely something I’d like to do in the future, but I want to do it right. This will take time as I continue to build the label and the project, but I’m looking forward to reaching that milestone!
WWD: If you hadn’t gotten into producing, where do you think life would have taken you instead?
That’s a tough one! I think I might have settled for an office job if anything. Music has been a part of my life since I was little, and I started producing nearly 17 years ago, so reimagining such a big part of my life opens up endless possibilities. I guess this really shows my commitment to music production and DJing in a sense! Hah!
WWD: What’s your guilty pleasure track?
It’s been a long time since I’ve listened to individual tracks, but I do enjoy mixes of chillstep and liquid drum and bass from time to time to break away from the four-by-four beat I’m so used to. It’s a completely different vibe, and I mostly listen to them when I’m on a beach!
WWD: Do you have any pre-gig rituals/superstitions you can share with us?
For some reason, I always like to finish a track right before a gig so I can test it out. Those often end up being the ones I’m most satisfied with.
WWD: What were some of your 2024 highlights? Anything cooking for 2025?
This year was filled with exciting music projects and unique shows, including one where I played inside a church! Another recent highlight was I recently did a five-hour open-to-close set at Newspeak in Montreal on November 15th to celebrate the release of my ‘Groove Anomaly’ EP, and two hours of that set were recorded on video—I’ll be sharing it soon! Looking ahead to 2025, my team and I are planning more interesting projects and maybe even trying some things a bit outside the box. Stay tuned!
WWD: We definitely will! Thanks for the chat, Elias 🙂
The ‘Groove Anomaly’ EP is available here