Artist: ELMNT
Title: Turn It Up Louder
Genre: Electro-Pop,
Length: 4:32
Written By: M.Campbell, J.Gringer
Produced By: David Levitz
Label: Five Pesky Kids
Taken From: ELMNT EP


"Turn It Up Louder" is a song performed by Australian boy band, ELMNT. The track is the second to appear on their self-titled debut EP which was released in their homeland back in February and is set for a worldwide release at the end of this month. The song was written by upcoming producer and songwriter, David Levitz, alongside two of ELMNT'S own members, Michael Campbell and James Gringer. The electro-pop ditty was the last to be recorded and included on the EP, being brought into the project during the final weeks of their recording sessions in L.A. The instrumental version of the track (created by Levitz) already existed and was played to ELMNT as well as popular American-British girl group, SYNCO. The beat was played for ELMNT after they re-worked the track "Glassheart" and turned it into a more string-driven, rock-pop track. "Turn It Up Louder" is an attempt to bridge the gap and infuse all of the sounds of the EP. The chorus contains pulsing power chords not too dissimilar to the sound of Glassheart and Weekend's work while the verses and the drop combine the grimy electro-pop witnessed on the latter three songs on the EP. With it's pure party lyrics and club ready synths, it's said to be their most accessible song and many believe that if chosen as a single, it could be the track that finally helps them break America and the UK. The song has already proved popular in Australia, peaking at #58 on downloads alone despite not even being released as an official single.

The lyrics of the song take on the form of a generic party track, which the boys openly admit. When creating the track and thinking about the style of music they were making, club ready dance tunes, ELMNT realised that they actually lacked a good party song. The rest of the songs on the EP and many others stashed away in the Pesky vaults centre around relationships and for a band wanting to break away from the typical boy band format, they had to make a song for the clubs and one that appeals to a slightly wider audience. The song describes a wild party with hints that it's also leading to some sexual encounters. Many have criticised its lyricism for being "generic", "cheap" and also for "promoting adultery". With lines like Grab somebody if you're single/And if you're not then I won't spill/It's a secret under the flashing lights/There's no need to kiss and tell" it's pretty obvious what the agenda is. It has been compared to the lyrics of Weekend's music by several critics who have stated that Weekend's work is far more "tasteful" and "finely crafted". ELMNT have came to the song's defence by highlighting the fact that this is intended to be a party song with one sole purpose. It was never their intention to make it something thought provoking. James Gringer, who co-wrote the song, also said; "There are far more explicit and lewd songs out there. We don't cuss all over the place, we don't talk about 'bitches', smoking or popping anything. It's just about having an awesome night.".

All five of the boys open up the song as they sing in unison over the chorus which is aided only by the strumming of an electric guitar. All five of the members' vocals blend together to create something almost like a sixth tone, a totally new voice. No member of ELMNT can be heard over the others no matter how high or low the notes become throughout the chorus. After the first grimey synth drop, Michael opens up the song which may be surprising to listeners. In StarFactory he was seen as the weakest vocalist, receiving the least lines and on their debut single, Glassheart, Michael's part wasn't all that long and far from vocally challenging. While he's not belting out all over the place here, he sounds more confident and better than ever before. He manages to stay vocally strong over the heavy production and while his voice is still considered one of, if not THE weakest, we get a nice glimpse of his smooth tone here. Up until now, his parts have either been half spoken/half sung or too short to really process and analyse his singing. Justin then comes in and repeats the same part again after the second verse. He is without a doubt the strongest singer. With the biggest range, most power, unique tone and killer vibrato, Justin always tends to steal the show whether his part is the biggest or not. This time he's not delivering all the big notes and instead he sounds rather laid back, putting his impressive vibrato into use as he glides along. Amir follows on before heading to the chorus again. Williams is arguably the second strongest in the group and will deliver lines similar is structure to Justin's. He delivers his lines at a slightly faster pace than the others, making it short and snappy like he's bullet-pointing his lines. He repeats his part again and also returns during the bridge, starting it off with silky smooth vocals which are slightly higher at that point and somewhat breathy. James takes the first part of the second verse and sounds a lot more at ease and natural than before. While James is one of the powerful vocalists, his belts and higher notes are usually heavily aided with autotune which tend to make him sound a tad nasally and piercing at times. Here though, he's following the same structure as before, very laid back and confident with no big exertions. Ciaran completes the second verse and also completes the bridge, taking on the only big note of the song. Chambers' voice has always been under scrutiny. A lot of critics fail to understand why he tends to receive decent solo time when his voice is rather weak. It stands out for being rather hoarse and deep and while he has a wide range, his tone is not all that pleasant. On "TIUL", his voice sounds a little "scratchy" during his verse unlike the delivery from the others and his belt at the end of the bridge is rather impressive due to the fact it shows off a range people never thought he had but his gravelly voice and lack of control can't be overlooked.

Turn It Up Louder

ALL
AMIR
CIARAN
JAMES
JUSTIN
MICHAEL

Turn it up louder, pour in just a little bit more
Too much is never enough, let's raise another cup
Turn it up louder, grab somebody and head to the floor
I wanna feel that bass from my feet right up, oh
I will only regret all of the things that I don't do
Why don't we just go ahead and do what we want to?
Turn it up louder, pour in just a little bit more
Turn it louder, louder, louder, louder, oh!

*beat drop*

She's got on a new pair of shoes
He's got a brand new attitude
The DJ's saving more lives again
We all came out here to party
So let's get down, body to body
We don't have to wait until the weekend
We're all young, foolish and happy
There's no place that I'd rather be

Grab somebody if you're single
And if you're not then I won't spill
It's a secret under the flashing lights
There's no need to kiss and tell

There should be nobody sitting
If you want to then get on out
'Cause we all came for a good time
Now let's tear the roof down

Turn it up louder, pour in just a little bit more
Too much is never enough, let's raise another cup
Turn it up louder, grab somebody and head to the floor
I wanna feel that bass from my feet right up, oh
I will only regret all of the things that I don't do
Why don't we just go ahead and do what we want to?
Turn it up louder, pour in just a little bit more
Turn it louder, louder, louder, louder, oh!

*beat drop*

Yeah, there's no point in hanging on
When the beat drops, all cares are gone
Just take my hand, don't miss this chance
Forget about whoever's on your mind
Breaking free, no need to be confined
Spill that champagne as we dirty dance

Grab somebody if you're single
And if you're not then I won't spill
It's a secret under the flashing lights
There's no need to kiss and tell

There should be nobody sitting
If you want to then get on out
'Cause we all came for a good time
Now let's tear the roof down

Turn it up louder, pour in just a little bit more
Too much is never enough, let's raise another cup
Turn it up louder, grab somebody and head to the floor
I wanna feel that bass from my feet right up, oh
I will only regret all of the things that I don't do
Why don't we just go ahead and do what we want to?
Turn it up louder, pour in just a little bit more
Turn it louder, louder, louder, louder, oh!

*beat drop*

What happens on the dance floor, stays there
We can blame on the good times, the DJ made us do it
And if it's posted, what the hell?
It's not like it's criminal to have some fun
Raise your solo cup, yeah here's to another one
We'll hit the town and shut it down
Stay out to the smallest of hours
Tell 'em turn it up louder

Turn it up louder, pour in just a little bit more
Too much is never enough, let's raise another cup
Turn it up louder, grab somebody and head to the floor
I wanna feel that bass from my feet right up, oh
I will only regret all of the things that I don't do
Why don't we just go ahead and do what we want to?
Turn it up louder, pour in just a little bit more
Turn it louder, louder, louder, louder, oh!

*beat drop until fade*

Can Be Compared To:

Artist: ELMNT
Title: Because You Want To
Genre: Electro-Pop
Length: 4:00
Written By: S.Mac, S.Wellington
Produced By: Steve Mac
Label: Five Pesky Kids
Taken From: ELMNT EP

Because You Want To is a song performed by Australian boy band, ELMNT. The track is the third to appear on their self-titled debut EP which was released in their homeland back in February and is set for a worldwide release at the end of this month. The song was written by Weekend member and former X Factor New Zealand judge Scott Wellington alongside famed British songwriter and producer, Steve Mac. The electro influenced break-up song was one of the earliest songs to be brought into the project after the band announced they wanted to take and a more upbeat, dance inspired sound. The song was specifically penned for ELMNT with the original first version of the song being entirely written by Wellington during his time in New Zealand while working on The X Factor. During a creative meeting with Mac, Scott presented the song to him and the pair reworked a few lines before Steve began creating a beat to use. The pair believed that an instrumentation with a somewhat "sad" and "lonely" undercurrent yet remaining upbeat would be best suited for the song as ELMNT had stated that they wanted to stay away from piano based ballads on the EP. Mac and Wellington also wanted to avoid any dubstep influences as they feared it would take away from the sentiment of the lyrics. The track has been met with critical acclaim and has been dubbed by many as "the best song on the EP".

As the song is essentially about a break-up, lots of silence and confusion, Mac built the beat around that concept. It's "poppy" and repetitious synths aid the verses along before the bass comes into play in the pre-chorus, constant and sounding pent up. It all eventually "explodes" into a "biting" chorus with powerful vocals from all members and a pulsating beat. The harmonising sections after each chorus are backed by what has been described as a "lemon sorbet flavoured" arrangement of "sharp" and "erratic" synths which are extremely infectious. Lyrically, the song tells the story of two lovers who are in a relationship that isn't going anywhere fast. The female lost interest a long time ago and after fighting for their love, now the male in the relationship has accepted the fact that it just won't work and has prepared himself for the breakup already. They have tried over and over again but nothing ever appears to work. Although they are still on good terms, are entirely faithful and still pretend to be interested, deep down they know that the spark won't ignite again. The male in the story is telling his lover to just admit how she is feeling so they can both move on, clear the air, be entirely honest and just call it a day.

Justin opens the song, singing in his lower register. His deep and raspy voice contrast greatly with the upbeat "rising and falling" synths yet somehow compliments it so well as they manage to stand out on their own and don't take away from one another. He manages to incorporate his lower tone and vibrato into some relatively long notes which can prove difficult to some if that's not the register they're used to performing in but for Gray, that is certainly not a problem. After the first two lines, he lowers his voice slightly again and although he's not exactly doing the vocal acrobatics like he usually does, this still proves just how vocally gifted he is. James sings the pre-choruses. His voice is often subject to debates as many believe that he is probably the second most vocally talented member, however, more often than not he sounds rather unpleasant as he frequently chooses to sing in a slightly high, nasally tone (which a critic has once pointed out and called it "a bad attempt at copying Riley Hamilton's unique vocals) and is often supported by heavy autotune. Unfortunately, that seems to be the case on this song as well. He has the range, power and conviction but it's sadly overshadowed by production. Ciaran takes on the second verse and again, has come under fire from critics. His voice is rather deep, even when talking on a day to day basis so he naturally falls into a lower register. However when he tries to reach anything above his limited range, the struggle and force in his voice is often detected which makes it all seem very unnatural. As he tries to stretch his notes out like Gray, it seems like he's almost gasping for ear and that his naturally deep voice is ready to crack and break because he's pushing it into a territory that just isn't for him. Chambers has no problem keeping the low notes in check though as that's his natural area, usually providing the lowest harmony in the group. Amir sings the bridge as the stomping electro influenced beat subdues slightly, allowing Williams' voice to be the focal point. His voice sounds rather at ease and like Gray's, a little deeper than usual. He can't lower his voice down to the level of his aforementioned band mate but still gives a convincing performance. A quality of Amir's is that you can really hear him connect and identify with his lines no matter what he is singing. A lot of emotion goes into his vocal deliveries. Michael unfortunately does not have a solo on the song like in the Star Factory days. He does however get to sing along in the chorus with everyone else.

Because You Want To

ALL
AMIR
CIARAN
JAMES
JUSTIN
MICHAEL


I don't need to be a mind reader
I can see exactly what's going on
I'm no fool and every day it gets clearer
Isn't hard to see that I'm not the one
You can drop the false smiles and disguise
I've been feeling the same lately
Past few months it's been one big lie
Better drop it now before we go crazy

I know you're scared to hurt me or say something wrong
But we've been sinking slowly, it's been going on too long

I'll get over it just let me rip the band aid off
Don't keep riding along if you've already had enough
No point in dressing things up to make it look good
I want you to love me because you want to
If you should up and leave right now I'll understand
Been clear for a while, things didn't go as planned
Don't stay to be kind, just come out with the truth
I want you to love me because you want to

Whoa, uh, whoa, oh
Whoa, uh, whoa, oh
Whoa, uh, whoa, oh
Oh, oh, oh
Whoa, uh, whoa, oh
Whoa, uh, whoa, oh
Whoa, uh, whoa, oh

Guess our time is up but that's OK
We had our fun but things just haven't worked
Not everything will last forever and a day
Can't drag this on, I want to throw my hands up
You'll move along and I'll find someone else
We'll no longer have to feel like we're stuck in chains
Might as well say it no, tired stuck on the shelf
We're gathering dust, blow it off and go our own ways

Don't be scared that you'll hurt me, I'll just move on
You'll feel a whole lot better when it's all said and done

I'll get over it just let me rip the band aid off
Don't keep riding along if you've already had enough
No point in dressing things up to make it look good
I want you to love me because you want to
If you should up and leave right now I'll understand
Been clear for a while, things didn't go as planned
Don't stay to be kind, just come out with the truth
I want you to love me because you want to

Whoa, uh, whoa, oh
Whoa, uh, whoa, oh
Whoa, uh, whoa, oh
Oh, oh, oh
Whoa, uh, whoa, oh
Whoa, uh, whoa, oh
Whoa, uh, whoa, oh

Day by day we just keep on getting colder
There's no heat even when the lights go out
Shouldn't force this, we're only getting older
Only digging this hole deeper, we're falling down

I'll get over it just let me rip the band aid off
Don't keep riding along if you've already had enough
No point in dressing things up to make it look good
I want you to love me because you want to
If you should up and leave right now I'll understand
Been clear for a while, things didn't go as planned
Don't stay to be kind, just come out with the truth
I want you to love me because you want to

Whoa, uh, whoa, oh
Whoa, uh, whoa, oh
Whoa, uh, whoa, oh
Oh, oh, oh
Whoa, uh, whoa, oh
Whoa, uh, whoa, oh
Whoa, uh, whoa, oh


Can Be Compared To

Artist: ELMNT
Title: No More Forever
Genre: Electro-Pop
Length: 3:45
Written By: M.Campbell, C.Chambers, J.Gringer, J.Gray, A.Williams
Produced By: Steve Mac
Label: Five Pesky Kids
Taken From: ELMNT EP

No More Forever is a song performed by Australian boy band, ELMNT. The track is the fifth and final to appear on their self-titled debut EP which was released in their homeland back in February and is set for a worldwide release at the end of this month. The song was written entirely by ELMNT members; Michael Campbell, Ciaran Chambers, James Gringer, Justin Gray and Amir Williams. This is the only track out of all five on the EP which includes a writing credit from each member of ELMNT. James had the most with four while Amir and Ciaran tie with the least, holding only one each to their names. The track is one of the oldest ELMNT recordings, having had a very rough demo of it since 2012 when they were fresh off of their Star Factory days. Although the song has been adjusted and updated several times until now, the lyrics and melody remain more or less the same. Steve Mac, who also worked with the group on "Because We Want To", produced the track. Mac even produced the original version back when the band were signed to Kiss My Pop (eventually bought out by Pesky). "No More Forever" has received mixed to positive reviews. Many have praised the song for prominently featuring the groups three most vocally competant vocalist and for it's "fun, radio-friendly nature". Others have stated that it "falls flat" in comparison to the rest of the uptempo dance tracks as it's electro-tinged dance breaks don't have the same "kick".

The song, like a lot of ELMNT's work, put an upbeat and fun twist on a situation. Whether it's yearning for someone (Glassheart), breaking rules (Turn It Up Louder), a failing relationship (Because We Want To) or an ode to a lover (Perfect), the boys always make sure to stay clear of gloomy ballads and depressing lyricism. Lyrically, No More Forever is a break-up song but like the rest of their work, they are still having a good old time and letting go. Their female counterpart in the track appears to have been unfaithful and has told many lies in the time she has known her lover (which is over a year, as stated in a line). She has managed to keep the act up for all that time but now the game is up and she has been exposed for what she really is. The relationship was thought to be serious by her partner as the term "love" has been used to once describe what they had. Now that he sees what she has been doing to him and many other men in the process, he doesn't even feel upset about the betrayal. He just wants to move on, forget about the person who lied and wasted so much of his time and just have all the fun she's having and then some. What was once claimed as something that would last "forever" is no more. If she can move on like nothing happened then so will her unfortunate partner.

James opens up the song over a light piano, giving him room to shine vocally without being overshadowed by any huge dance production. The verdict is still out on his ability as a vocalist as he can either be a hit or a miss during both studio produced tracks and on live performances. Here though, singing the powerful chorus which isn't too far off from being one big vocal belt, he sounds rather confident and clear with little vocal production supporting his delivery. He appears again in the fourth chorus, intersecting lines with Justin. Despite it being the oldest song on the EP, his vocals surprisingly seem at their most mature. Amir comes in after the first dance break and takes the track into a new direction. Previously we heard a powerful chorus with a big build up followed by a synth-led breakdown but Amir cuts in, suddenly delivering fast-paced, almost rap like verses. His part does not contain any big notes or ones that are even held for that matter. It's all rolling off the tongue with precision. The last three lines are delivered in a slightly higher key than the first three. Ciaran takes on the pre-choruses of the song. Like Amir's parts of the track, Ciaran's does not contain any, what would seem like, vocally challenging notes. It's all in the same tone and free flowing. His voice here is heavily aided by autotune. So much so that it's almost robotic and hardly recognisable. Mac, the producer, has stated though that it would be the same effect used no matter which member was singing the part. Like all of his vocal performances on the EP, Ciaran doesn't surprise with his delivery. Justin sings the chorus twice and also has a few lines with James in the last chorus. When it's Justin's turn to take on the chorus, the song has already built up and is in full swing which means his vocals have to be twice as powerful as James', who was slowly pulling us into the track and trying to build everything up. He sounds confident as always, belting out his words clearly and not crossing into the "overbearing" territory where it sounds more like a shout. Starting off many of his lines with a growl and ending on fluttering, vibrato induced notes show off his versatility and why he really is the shining star of the group. He can stand out on his own yet blend in with the rest of the band, aiding them along as they all come together to sing the final chorus. Michael, like in the two previous tracks, has no solo section.

No More Forever

ALL
AMIR
CIARAN
JAMES
JUSTIN
MICHAEL

I know you're used to having it your way, you want all the boys to come and line right up
I found all those secret messages, you better get ready for that disguise to come off
Don't say you love me
Don't say that you care
Don't say that you'll change
I don't want to be part of this game, you better go and find another player
Won't let my heart ache, no point in hanging on when there's no more "forever"

*Dance break*

I was caught up in a bad place, lost in a crazy situation
It's time to turn the page, rewrite it, let out the frustration
Was never you're only one, saved your best for another
Guess you tried your best to hide it but there goes your cover
I pulled you close as we danced away, your hips kept on rolling
Different story the next day, it's someone else you're holding

You knew how to work it and push the buttons on any guy
Under control with a flutter of mascara like a butterfly
Why did it take so long for me to see past all these lies?

I know you're used to having it your way, you want all the boys to come and line right up
I found all those secret messages, you better get ready for that disguise to come off
Don't say you love me
Don't say that you care
Don't say that you'll change
I don't want to be part of this game, you better go and find another player
Won't let my heart ache, no point in hanging on when there's no more "forever"

*Dance break*

I can't dwell on it, gotta get on out, you wasted of my enough time
Spent over a year pandering to you, it really wasn't worth my while
I don't want to know what you're up to or if you've now found another
Don't think I won't come around and tell him he's just the latest sucker
You took me for everything, had me believing every word you said
Well I hope that you say my name when you and the next one are in bed

You knew how to work it and push the buttons on any guy
Under control with a flutter of mascara like a butterfly
Why did it take so long for me to see past all these lies?

I know you're used to having it your way, you want all the boys to come and line right up
I found all those secret messages, you better get ready for that disguise to come off
Don't say you love me
Don't say that you care
Don't say that you'll change
I don't want to be part of this game, you better go and find another player
Won't let my heart ache, no point in hanging on when there's no more "forever"

*Dance break*

I know you're used to having it your way, you want all the boys to come and line right up
I found all those secret messages, you better get ready for that disguise to come off
Don't say you love me
Don't say that you care
Don't say that you'll change
I don't want to be part of this game, you better go and find another player
Won't let my heart ache, no point in hanging on when there's no more "forever"

Can Be Compared To: