Straddling the elusive boundary between the corporeal and the transcendent, Montreal-based psych-pop band Elephant Stone has cemented its reputation as a band deeply invested in probing the contours of dreams and consciousness. Over a 14-year odyssey, their sonic tapestry has evolved into a rich and intricate form of art, capable of capturing the boundless terrain of human emotion and cognition. Set for release on February 23rd 2024, their upcoming album, ‘Back Into the Dream’, serves as the ultimate culmination of this musical evolution, offering listeners an entrancing passage through realms of introspection and wonder. The band’s driving force, Rishi Dhir, has an innate ability to bare his soul through music, plumbing the depths of his vulnerabilities and musings. “I’m often caught in the web of intense, recurring dreams, which I think reflect my ongoing quest for identity and a sense of belonging,” Rishi divulges.
Centred on the enigma of dreams—whether they’re subconscious murmurings or portals to parallel universes—’Back Into the Dream’ encapsulates the eternal cycle of waking and dreaming. “We’re perpetually oscillating between two realms, trying to comprehend each,” says Rishi. “If 7 our music can serve as a bridge between these worlds, then we’ve accomplished our mission.”
Elephant Stone “Back Into The Dream” (Fuzz Club/Little Cloud/Elephants On Parade, 2024) The 6th album from this Canadian band led by Rishi Dhir from The High Dials/MIEN/The Datsons starts with “Lost In A Dream”. It’s a joyously vibrant pop number built on an addictively smooth rhythm and swirling sounds of dreamy psychedelic bliss that sets a pattern for what’s to come. “Godstar” and “The Imaginary, Nameless Everybody in the World” bring a jazzy Eastern glimmer to the tone.
The usual guitar/bass/drums power is augmented by sitar, synths, Farfisa & Hammond organ, mellotron, piano, saxophone, tabla. Lush harmonies and instruments, radiant riffs, swooning strings and horns all play a part in the album’s hook-infested accessibility. The overall feel is an odd sort of breezy, ‘easy listening’ pop sound that’s occasionally interrupted by trippy flares of cosmic wandering. Initially, it seems almost too saccharine sweet, but the drawing power of the melodies is undeniable, and the subtle presence of lysergic brain flurries colors the music with a kaleidoscopic glow. “Back Into The Dream” temporarily puts the world’s troubles on a back burner. It is beautifully weird, a compellingly hypnotic opiate that opens up that part of your being which desires to float in a celestial paradise of dreamy euphony. RIYL: Elf Power, psychedelic Beatles, Ocean Colour Scene, Cornershop, Prefab Sprout, XTC, The High Llamas, The Kinks, Stereolab, The Beach Boys, Tame Impala, Electric Light Orchestra, The Coral, The Left Banke, Pugwash, MGMT.
The Fat Angel Sings 