Elite For is a trio of musical talent that just released their new album, Hidden Machines, in January.
Background
Tracing their beginnings back to 2005, Elite For is a trio that brings together Izzy Man, Danny Zenith, and On-Ki. Admittedly “three New York City nerds,” it was Danny Zenith and Izzy Man that first met at the State University of New York at Oneonta where they made it on the college’s slam poetry team.
With a handful of collaborations under their belt, the two stayed close friends even as they parted ways to pursue career and life paths. They eventually found themselves back together, throwing shows at the Bowery Electric to pick up where they had left off, when On-Ki entered the picture.
It was at an open mic Izzy Man had organized in his home town of Flushing, NY, where the classically trained On-Ki made an impression. Performing an R&B rendition of “I Need A Girl”, Izzy tracked him down, and with an interest in producing tracks for On-Ki, brought in Danny Zenith. Just playing video games, the trio found a rapport that continues to present day.
Thoughts
“Missingno.” opens with a tone setting reflection. Perhaps the anonymity of the white masks prompts questions of the greater arch of the story — has something that happened made him unrecognizable to his past self? Undoubtedly a tale of lost love, the deep inner dialogue, and passing of the torch between different vocalists, is the heart of Elite For’s creation.
The genuine complexity of the soul-searching found in the track is its strength — after all, it is a fairly universal story being told. 3 minutes of quieter musings collectively build toward an outpouring of emotion and passion. It seems real, and as though “Missingno.” isn’t a song that’s been tweaked in a studio for weeks, but rather, that it’s an open wound.
Support
“Missingno.” is the 6th track off Elite For’s Hidden Machines album, which you can find on iTunes for just under $7. It’s available for streaming on Spotify as well. You can find the trio on Facebook, too.
