Review: Eli Lev offers familial oral history with forthcoming EP, ‘Past Lives’
Lev’s new EP is a must-listen.
Eli Lev renders his ancestors as “guiding spirits” across his poignant new EP. Past Lives features interview soundbites of his family, including Bubbe Sarah, who recounts her 1892 birth in Poland. Her voice cracks with age, each syllable a world-weary confession. The audio underscores the opening track, “Echo,” pulling the listener into Lev’s expanding universe. “This album honors my ancestors,” Lev says in a press statement. “Their voices and stories are the foundation of who I am. I wanted to bring them forward—not just in memory, but in sound, in rhythm, in life.”
Their lives walk around like ghosts through the five-track project, landing October 8, and you get the sense that their life’s journey literally bleeds onto the record. In “Where We Come From,” he muses on his Jewish and Appalachian roots, joyfully bouncing along to the accompaniment of drums, strings, and piano. The passage of time weaves in and out of every song, as it does so magnifently on “Who I Am.” The 1-2 sucker punch comes with the closing track, “Our Friends,” through which he gazes back on those he’s lost on his way.
Eli Lev proves to be a dynamic and essential indie artist with a powerful voice to share. Past Lives is not only about cherishing the past and loved ones but also about looking forward to how all of it influences your next steps. It transcends the here and now and leaves an indelible imprint on the soul.
