ELDR releases KJS remix of “Defender”

London-based artist and composer Marina Elderton, known under the alias ELDR, has been making an impact with her fiercely original musical output. Her artistic endeavour fuses mysticism, cinematic aesthetic and a steadfast sense of experimentation, resulting in music that stands at the crossroads where art, sound and storytelling collide. Based in her occultist background, ELDR’s music extends an invitation into worlds of intrigue and self-discovery, designed to heal, empower and mesmerise.

ELDR’s creative track record is thoroughly impressive; trained at the National Film & Television School, she’s earned a reputation as an award-winning composer, creating soundtracks for film and TV projects with some of the most respected names in the industry. Her work has been featured by the BBC, Sky Arts, BFI and Film4, confirming her status as a multidisciplinary artist who excels in both music and visual storytelling. Among her accolades is the acclaimed soundtrack for Poly Styrene: I Am a Cliché, a film that was dubbed Best Documentary at the British Independent Film Awards as well as securing the Raindance Discovery Award.

This cinematic context continues to inform her music as ELDR which first landed in 2021 with the debut EP Defender which quickly gained support from the PRS Women Make Music fund. Following up with a string of singles and the sophomore EP HÖLY STRANGER, she deepened her exploration of ethereal sonics and profound lyricism, drawing comparisons to acts like Portishead and Björk for her ability to balance intimacy with intensity.

Now, following last year’s single “Deer Skin,” ELDR returns with a remix of “Defender” by Norwegian artist Knut Jonas Sellevold. “Defender (KJS Remix)” reimagines the very first track penned under the ELDR moniker, with Knut transforming the piece into a stripped-back, hypnotic soundscape where Marina’s haunting vocals float over atmospheric guitar lines, lo-fi textures and the subtly grooving hop of pattering percussion.

The remix reframes the song’s central motif of “I am your defender” as a mantra of fierce, protective love, cast in the light of a dark fairytale. Building from a smokey atmosphere of softly bubbling instrumentation and hazy guitar plucks, Marina’s vocalisations drift through the misty scene and the pulse of the beat maintains a steady rhythmic flow, taking listeners through an engrossing musical sphere that’s transportive and utterly gripping throughout.

Complementing the remix is an incredible visual counterpart directed by Philip James McGoldrick, an award-winning filmmaker and Marina’s creative partner at EMC Productions. The video offers a gothic reimagining of Alice in Wonderland, cinematically shot by DOP Miles Ridgway, it follows Chevalier, a cloaked rider drawn into a spectral forest where she encounters the enigmatic Mirror Man and guided through this surreal world, she embarks on a journey of self-awakening, aligning perfectly with the track’s themes of protection, identity and transformation. Produced under EMC, Marina’s own production company, the video reflects the duo’s reputation for visceral, immersive storytelling that enhances the experience of the music in spectacular fashion.

Watch the music video for Defender (KJS Remix) below

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