Day Soul Exquisite visited the KNKX Seattle Studios for a session that can easily be described as, well, exquisite.
Calling their sound "genre anarchy," the queer, BIPOC sextet utilize a mix of many genres, including electronic, hints of afro-beat and jazz. Their 2024 debut, Sanguin & Cardamom, is a cosmic journey of sounds and emotions with crisp production and instrumentation, laced with vivid lyrics that center on being a queer person of color.
Formed in the spring of 2021, the Seattle-based group is relatively new in the Pacific Northwest music scene, and new to each other at the time of the band's formation. Day Soul Exquisite’s humble beginnings came when lead vocalist and guitarist, Francesca Eluhu, posted flyers around the Central District with hopes of creating a band and community.
Almost five years since their start, Day Soul Exquisite has developed a tight knit community of musicians, and as their music continues to evolve, so do they. Dressed in their summer best, the group performed one tune from their previous album, and new music from their upcoming project.
The sextet opened with the song “Disentangled” from their first recording. It's a yacht-rocking, melodic groove that served as a perfect introduction to the band and the array of styles and genres they use, sometimes, in just one song. This song is part-ballad and part-workout music, as the last few minutes turn from calm to sprint, then into a hazy/dreamlike ending.
From their upcoming album, “Olea” features introspective lyrics sung in both English and French. The song highlights meditative drums from Josh Pehrson and percussionist Thomas Arndt, and spiritual playing from saxophonist Xiomara Mills-Du-Pree and keys player Lilly Minke Tahar.
Their last song, “Carry it Forward” speaks to the levels of grief one can experience and the difficulties of moving forward while carrying past memories. Eluhu penned the song as a letter to someone she was close to who had unfortunately passed, and said she was grateful to have the space and support from her band to write the song.
Day Soul Exquisite continues to make waves in the local music scene. Check out this splash of a studio session and catch their upcoming free show on Aug. 14 at the Volunteer Park Amphitheater.
Musicians:
- Francesca Eluhu (lead vocals, guitar)
- Zora Seboulisa (vocals/bass/guitar)
- Josh Pehrson (drums)
- Lillian Minke Tahar (keys)
- Thomas Arndt (percussion)
- Xiomara Mills-Du-Pree (saxophones)
Songs:
- Disentangled
- Olea
- Carry it Forward
