Love Lion’s Emily Elhaj
Welcome to Tapes ’n’ Tapes, a bimonthly video series focusing on local cassette labels to help get the feel for why some people have turned to tapes for their musical medium.
Emily Elhaj had been involved in the Chicago music community long before she launched her cassette label, Love Lion, almost one year ago. Elhaj plays in gloomy punk act Mayor Daley and fuzz-friendly rockers Implodes, and has been a buyer at Reckless Records’ Broadway location for a few years. But with Love Lion, Elhaj has been able to bring more to the music scene. So far, Elhaj has released three tapes, including sludge-metal duo Geffika and minimalist singer-songwriter and Bonnie “Prince” Billy collaborator Angel Olsen. Elhaj has another tape on the way, too, from U.K. experimental solo project Woodpecker Wooliams.
The A.V. Club met up with Elhaj at the Love Lion headquarters in her Logan Square apartment to discuss the appeal of running a hands-on label, the range of creative options that the tape medium offers, and hosting cassette-insert folding parties.
