London duo Joel X Eleanor explore two very different sides of love on their new double release, “Garden Plot / Something Strange.” Built around their close creative partnership, the project pulls together gritty guitar work, textural layers and strong melodic hooks, with Eleanor’s voice sitting front and centre.
“Garden Plot” begins with a romantic idea but quickly shifts into something more intense. What starts as a gesture about planting something lasting, slowly then takes on a more obsessive tone, with the production adding a darker weight underneath. There’s an ebb and flow between tenderness and control, with Eleanor’s delivery drawing you in while the instrumentation keeps things slightly off balance. Whereas, in contrast, “Something Strange” has a softer approach, focusing on the subtle shift that comes with letting someone into your life. It captures that strange moment where solitude disappears and everything starts to feel shared.
As a pair, “Garden Plot” and “Something Strange” sit in different spaces but still feel connected. The songs feel personal without spelling everything out, shaped by the fact that Joel X Eleanor are not just collaborators, but a couple too.
