Elephant Stone - Back Into The Dream
Elephant Stone - Back Into The Dream
Some dreamy psychedelic pop. This one starts really strong with the opening track, settles down for a while, and then comes in for the kill in the back half.
I was reminded quite a bit of the psychedelic pop-rock of 2000s groups like the Dandy Warhols and the Brian Jonestown Massacre. Particularly the Warhols when you can hear some subtle Indian instrumentation enter into the mix, with popping tabla drums (I think?) and some buzzing sitar making appearances.
This music is also obviously indebted to the Beatles and their ‘60s contemporaries. Not to mention all the bands and artists that have played in that sound space since. But there’s a reason this kind of stuff doesn’t get old. At least for me.
Yes, a lot of these songs begin in conventional forms. But there’s always a change into something more layered and complex.
And then there are the wonderful weirdos like BAE, with it’s strange mix of vocal samples, blooping synths and jazzy crescendos reminding me for a second of the far more experimental sounds of bands like Thee Oh Sees or King Gizzard. This album never goes as far as any of those groups’ more out-there releases, but it toys with it. Using experimentalism to colour their more dreamy, approachable brand of psychedelia.
BAE proves to be the real turning point for the album, because everything gets a lot more interesting afterwards. If you weren’t digging it up to that point, I encourage you to keep listening. It’s really strong stuff.
Highlights: Lost In A Dream • BAE • The Imajinary, Nameless Everybody In The World
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