Eli & Fur Reveal Inspiration Behind New Album and Share the Must-Have Items They’re Taking on Tour
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For all the time they spend together, it’s no surprise that DJ duo Eli & Fur have developed a few common interests.
They both love a skincare routine, for example, especially after long flights and late night shows. They prefer a CELSIUS backstage, rather than Red Bull or soda. And you’ll never catch them outside without a pair of black Ray-Bans on.
Since emerging onto the scene in 2013, the electronic producers and singer-songwriters have also shared another common interest: a desire to bring people together through music.
Their long-held craving for community culminates in Dreamscapes, Eli & Fur’s sophomore album, which drops today. A mix of house and electronic music with a dash of dream pop, the 15-track album is at once euphoric and melancholy, and drops in advance of the duo’s first-ever live tour, fittingly dubbed, “Dreamscapes Live.”
For Eli & Fur (the stage name of Eliza Noble and Jennifer Skillman), the new album couldn’t have come at a better moment. After more than a decade of writing, producing and releasing music, the London-based duo say they were ready to push themselves to step outside their comfort zones, and to expand upon what the “dance” genre could be. Dreamscapes was the result.
“Every time we finish an EP or album, we come out of the process having learned so much that we want to make something else, something new that might sound totally different,” Noble tells Rolling Stone. “We’ve both changed so much over the years through our music, it’s a wonderful re-invention over and over.”
“Dreamscapes is meant to be a reflection of the hours between dusk and dawn, where each song captures one of our own, real experiences from these moments,” adds Skillman. “We have such vastly different tastes between the two of us – ranging from sounds of uplifting euphoria to darker, more introspective moods – and those dualities can be felt throughout the album. It’s simultaneously happy and sad, dark and light, but comes together to create a cohesive feeling across all 15 tracks.”
Fans have been patiently waiting for Eli & Fur to tour, and they’ll finally get their wish next month, as the duo heads out on the road in support of Dreamscapes. The initial itinerary takes them through Los Angeles, New York and London, with additional dates potentially on the schedule. The two say they’re eager to showcase a different side to themselves — and a different side to their music.
“These shows will be vastly different from our usual DJ sets as we are basically bringing our entire studio to the stage to share the music we’ve made over the years,” Stillman says. “We will be performing a decade’s worth of music (including fan faves from our back catalog as well as new tracks from the album) using our vocals, guitars, drum machines and more, alongside immersive visual elements. It’s truly something we’ve never done before for an audience.”
“Performing live is quite literally the essence of how we make music – in the studio together, jamming,” Noble says. “We play and sing on all of our tracks, which is an experience we’ve wanted to share with our fans in a live setting for such a long time. The release of Dreamscapes just felt like the right time to bring this to life.”
Ahead of their new tour, Noble and Stillman shared some of their go-to accessories and road essentials with Rolling Stone.
Sennheiser Pro Audio Professional HD 25 On-Ear DJ Headphones
$134.35 $146.15 8% off
“Sennheiser HD25s are what we use for DJing as they are super lightweight,” the two share. “We love them.”
Rimowa Cabin S
$1,375
“When it comes to luggage, it’s Rimowa all the way for us. Their Cabin S line is protective and — for some reason — the only suitcase we can manage to shut when we have 100% overpacked. Rimowa also repairs their suitcases for free and they give you a replacement anywhere in the world, which is amazing when we are traveling. They are a bit more expensive, but very worth the spend.
Solawave 4-in-1 Red Light Therapy Facial Wand
$169.00
“For beauty and skincare, we love the Solawave 4-in-1 Red Light Therapy Wand. It helps to minimize inflammation and puffy faces after late nights and long flights.”
Bio-Oil Skincare Body Oil
$21.54 $23.49 8% off
“Other beauty and skincare tour essentials include the Summer Fridays Jet Lag Mask; Kiehl’s Midnight Recovery Botanical Cleansing Oil; and Bio-Oil Skincare Oil.”
Boomchickapop Sweet & Salty Kettle Corn
$4.99
“For our go-to drink and snack backstage, we love CELSIUS for energy and BOOMCHICKAPOP Popcorn is great.”
Jason Markk Quick Wipes (30-Pack)
$30.00
“Our other tour must-haves: Shout Wipe & Go Instant Stain Remover Wipes (laughs), and Jason Markk Quick Shoe Wipes.”
Of course, there are a few things the two differ on: Noble’s favorite airplane or hotel movie is Good Will Hunting, while Stillman loves Notting Hill.
The two also unwind to different soundtracks: “In my quieter moments I love to listen to more dreamy acoustic stuff,” shares Noble. “I’m loving Tiny Habits, Trousdale, Arlo Parks and I’m a huge Lana Del Rey fan.”
Stillman, meantime, shouts out Art School Girlfriend and Slowaves as two of her favorite artists. As she tells Rolling Stone, “We are best mates who are the same in so many ways, but totally different when it comes to our creativity. We learn and grow from each other, it’s something we value so highly and is key to this project’s survival.”
Still, she adds, “We are always pushing each other to be better and to think harder. When one of us gets down or needs inspiration the other picks you back up. It’s one of the reasons we’ve remained inspired and challenged after all of these years.”