Melbourne pop duo ELLE are back with their latest pair of singles, which are best viewed as two sides of the same coin. Cherry Love Dreams is a song about bad decisions, and Siren is a song about dreaming big.

It’s interesting hearing an artist that constantly reinvents themselves, even so soon into their discography. ELLE might not have developed a signature sound yet, but I don’t think that’s necessarily a bad thing. Since 2017, they’ve been experimenting with what works for them - and you’ll never hear me complaining about an artist that doesn’t sit still. The best music comes when artists take risks, and ELLE do exactly that on both releases.

The duo consists of st. James and Richard S. He, and st. James says the songs are a departure from “our earlier, tightly produced pop singles, but I think these two will instantly feel like home in our listeners’ hearts.” It’s hard to argue with her summation. Cherry Love Dreams feels like a warm embrace, whereas Siren feels like a splash of cold water when you’re trying to wake up in the morning.

Personally, I found myself more drawn towards Siren - the VHS oceanscape visuals that accompany the song suit it perfectly, and the production highlights st. James’ vocals beautifully. ELLE have nailed the oft-ignored art of production that elevates the vocals, rather than engulfing them. The beauty of releasing these tracks as a pair is you’ll find yourself drawn more towards one or the other, and that’s ok. There’s something here for everyone.

The songs will both feature on ELLE’s upcoming debut mixtape, Love as a metaphor, which Richard tells me came about as a way to surprise people. “The mixtape concept was mostly just to shake things up! We’re constantly remaking our sound and approach, so we like the idea of working towards a goal that’s a bit more loosely defined, that can grow and evolve with us. Plus in pop music, I really love mixtapes by Kim Petras, Charli and especially JoJo - they’re my fav releases by each of them.”

I personally can’t wait to hear ELLE’s debut mixtape - they’re pushing the boundaries of pop music, which is something that Australian pop is doing more and more of at the moment. ELLE have a lot of potential to progress Australian pop music, and I’m looking forward to their next move.