It’s PART 6 of Turn Up The Volume‘s yearly hot summer playlists.
A mix of new and old tunes. A mix of adrenalin-infused punk/rock
anthems, dance fireworks, and some moony musings to end the
party when the sun comes up.
The EP follows last year’s magnific album Hollow and their French EP Le Voyage De M. Lonely Dans La Lune. Rishi Dhir says D, D, D is a dive
into their journey through creation, life, and death, inspired by American
writer/professor Isaac Asimov (1920-1992) and his Foundation work.
Godstar begins with a rumble, a drone, the deep vibrations of a tabla, and the echoes of distant voices, evoking the feeling of a ritualistic ceremony. It’s a short, dreamy, calming instrumental with moody sax too. My ears wouldn’t mind if it was 10 minutes long.
. The Imajinary, Nameless Everybody In The World takes listeners on a journey through innocence and wonder, ego and power, and finally, acceptance and transcendence. Reflecting the philosophical depths of Isaac Asimov’s Foundation, the lyrics delve into themes of knowledge, pride, and wisdom. The first thing that popped up on my stereo
in my head was the psychedelic harmonies of The Beatles circa Revolver. This track moves in different structures featuring sparkling guitar play, jazzy saxophone fragments, 60s organs, guitars played backward (Revolver again), and Rish‘s heavenly voice.
Kamikaze guitars, boiling bluster, insane vocals. The London’s post-punks
are back with a holy smoke hammer as a warm-up for their second LP,
titled Beware Believers, out 1st of April.
I know it’s only January, but this is//will
be one of the best singles of 2022.
After 28 years, Skunk Anansie still is a massively popular band with Skin
screaming her lungs on this new killer single as if she’s still 28 years herself. ‘Piggy’ is an enraged eruption calling out all incompetent governments,
specifically UK’s short-sighted Brexit statesmen.
This red-hot-blistering shock wave explodes like
a metallic bomb with a volcanic Skin chorus.
These politically charged indie gunslingers from Leeds are the talk-of-the-town
lately. Every music website/zine is raving about, them. Their dazzling debut longplayer entered the British charts on #2 last weekend. One of the highlights is this bass-driven jackhammer. Infectious from the kick-off.
A sirens intro, David Bowie‘s saxophone, and steel drums straight from Trinidad. Sounds like an exotic swing and shake ditty is coming up. No folks, it’s a lazy rap-sody you can play the morning after a drinking marathon. A slow start to get out of bed and sober up. Soul voice Clare Gillet takes care of the chirpy chorus and finally Domestic gets up for a couple of Mañana shouts.
After a ghostly intro, the drone machine starts up hitting like
a massive sledgehammer with an industrial exuberance. Merciless
and puissant. No rest for the wicked. Think The Horrors and NIN.
Following in the soundsteps of legendary mega-funk-groover Sly Stone with
a 21st Century post-punk coolness and a pumped-up synth-tastic puissance
this London combo activates all of your muscles, your bloodstream, and your
appetite for behaving like a midnight rambler.
This mid-tempo disco jam helps you to keep in shape at your hot spot
at home until the nightclubs reopen. It’s a Warmduscher affair, folks.
Socially engaged indie pop-rockers who started their journey back in 2003.
In the very beginning, they operated as British Air Power, but changed it quickly
to British Sea Power. But last summer the band announced another name change,
dropping ‘British‘.
Their new, 7th full-length, titled Everything Was Forever lands on 11 February.
With new single Green Goddess they do what they do best, writing anthemic pop
tunes that stick after one play.
After a 5-4-3-2-1 countdown this rocket blasts into space with supersonic speed.
No looking back, full steam ahead, pushed by a banging drum/bass beat and crazed guitars. Somewhere in the middle, it’s time to reload the batteries and start all over
again fueled by swirling synths etles dernier mots de M. Lonely.
Psychedelia at its mind-boggling best.
Un coup de poing formidable!
Eels made another Eels album sounding like an Eels album.
But as Mark Oliver Everett moves and grooves, rocks and rolls
like in the good days Extreme Witchcraft feels like he’s having fun,
although you never know for sure with his capricious state of mind.
This twilight hallucination resonates as the shadowy side of Depeche Mode
and the enigmatic darkwave murk of The Soft Moon. The iterating synth-riff
at work here gets under your skin without asking. The atmosphere is impending,
the tone is obscure, the color is black. All you need for a sonic nightmare.
New cut from the Boston duo’s forthcoming
sophomore album Moon Reflections.
This is a rotating remix of the title track of Anika‘s excellent album
released last year. British electronic musician Planningtorock
turned the song into a trippy and vibrant electro beat-breaker.
Anika‘s distorted voice changes the mood
of the original recording. More mystifying,
more mysterious.
The smooth pop elegance of Kevin Parker (Tame Impala), the mellow
vocality of Adam Granduciel (The War Drugs) and his twinkling guitar
play to end this sweet little pearl. Sonic dreaming at its finest with
a tantalizing pearl that gets under your skin, slowly but surely. Top!
This is the moniker of Vancouver-based Dubliner Stephen Nicholas White describes
himself as a post-punk/nugaze/electro artist. This new single circles around a repetitive
guitar riff and shiny synths with Eels echoes. Magnetic, hypnotic, and mesmeric.
In the past few years, another Britwave of young rousing wolves
has emerged and looks to turn into a sonic tsunami. Black Midi,
Black Country New Road, Black Honey, Fontaines D.C. (I know they’re
Irish), Yard Act, and several more prove that guitar rock is
alive and kicking again.
Now you can add Leeds’ hungry squad Eades. With
6-track EPAbstract Education EP, released last Spring,
they made it loud and clear they’re not a one-trick pony.
This is a mindboggling knockout. You The People starts as a meditative harbinger
for a mindboggling sonic orgasm midway, inflamed by whamming percussion, an
ear-shattering guitar explosion, and haunting male/female, English/Italian vocals
before an abrupt comedown ends this rad rush of blood to the head. Wow!
Gallows progresses like a death march, on its way to the graveyard,
with a somber and macabre reverberation. Its repetitive and raucous
slo-mo dynamics evoke images of confusion, agitation, and transitoriness.
19. ‘Happy Birthday Forever’ by TESS PARKS (Toronto, CA)
Toronto-born, London-based femme fatale Tess Parks has a new album,
called And Those Who Were Seen Dancing, out 2 April. Her first longplayer
in 13 years.
Lead single Happy Birthday Forever is a pretty catchy surprise.
It spins around in your head before you’re even aware of it.
This is the solo project of Jérôme R. Desrosiers, who played
drums in different Black Metal and Death Metal in the late 90s.
He’s making synth music for about 20 years now, but it’s only
since 2018 that he decided to share his work.
He just issued his new album Mon Odyssée. An imaginative
journey with cinematic synth symphonies, like this one…
“The EP follows the band’s previous album Hollow, and continues the themes
of destruction and survival from a personal aspect, as M. Lonely comes to realize
life in an imperfect world might not be so bad. Sung entirely in French, a first
for the English-speaking band, the EP is dubbed a love letter to the band’s
French-speaking fans around the world.”
Dhir: “The song is about M. Lonely boarding a rocketship to the moon… so I felt that
the music should be high intensity, while also ebbing and flowing with the journey. I am
sci-fi obsessed, so, as in the past with ‘Andromeda’, I included a snippet of audio from
NASA for the intro and the middle section – maybe you can decipher the morse code?”
Turn Up The Volume: After a 5-4-3-2-1 countdown this rocket blasts into space with supersonic speed. No looking back, full steam ahead, pushed by a banging drum/bass beat and crazed guitars. Somewhere in the middle, it’s time to reload the batteries and start all over again fueled by swirling synths etles dernier mots de M. Lonely.
Psychedelia at its mind-dazzling best.
Un coup de poing formidable!
Canadian psych-rockers ELEPHANT STONE just released a brand new special single. AMERICAN DREAM sounds like a sweet poppy lullaby but is an nightmarish vision
on today’s rotten state of the land of opportunities and freedom.
No more American Dream for many Canadians who chased a bright future in the U.S.
Since that narcissist Donald Trump took over the White House the United States are totally and severely divided. While people die every single day, due to that horrific virus, Trump tweets about his ratings, tries to shut up the media that doesn’t swallow his nonsense, and claims total authority like fascist leaders do. He preaches hate every single day. He leads his country to the abyss. He’s indeed an American Idiot!
Elephant Stone’s leader Rishi Dhir explained the sentiments behind the new song: “Growing up in Canada, it was hard to not feel like an ‘also-ran’ when you’re constantly sold the glitz and glamour of America. Over the years, many of my Canadian friends have moved south of the border in search of the American dream, only to find that it really was just a dream. And now, with the dangerous path America is on, I wonder if my same friends are questioning their move and longing for home.”
All proceeds of this sorrowful meditation will be donated to the PLUS1 COVID-19 Relief Fund, which directly supports touring crews and others in the live music industry who have lost work or have gotten sick during the COVID-19 crisis, and those whose physical health, mental health, safety, and wellbeing are most at risk.
American Dream
They say that we got it real bad
Thousands dead in the streets but not enough body bags
I don’t want no more of this American dream
Yankee kids spend their break on the beach
Fascists carry their torches; the president gives a speech
I don’t want no more of this American dream
Gee, Ma, I want to go back to Ontario
Gee, Ma, I want to go home
Clips that will have an impact on your eyes and your ears…
21 April 2020
Last February, on Valentine’s Day, Canadian psych-pop rockers ELEPHANT STONE, formed in 2008, led by renowned sitarist and singer/songwriter Rishi Dhir released their sixth LP, entitled HOLLOW. An intriguing and fascinating concept record with a mesmerizing and spiritual resonance despite the gloomy context of the record.
The band just shared a pretty cool clip for FOX ON THE RUN (no, not that The Sweet song) one of the highlights of the album. Rishi Dhir told what inspired this track: “During the writing of this track, I was listening to a lot of Yo La Tengo, specifically ‘And Then Nothing Turned Itself Inside-Out’, I loved the hypnotic element to their tunes. At the same time I kept hearing reports about ICE agents taking people away in the middle of the night—people who have been in America for years and worked hard…only to be now targeted by Trump and his cronies. The song was written from the perspective of someone who just wants to be somewhere safe and with their family.”
Last Friday, on Valentine’s Day, Canadian psych-pop outfit ELEPHANT STONE – formed in 2008 – launched their sixth album, titled HOLLOW. An intriguing and fascinating concept lonplayer with an overall spellbinding and spiritual resonance despite the gloomy context of the LP, making me think of George Orwell‘s brilliant dystopian novel 1984 but npw with the social media as Big Brother. Mastermind, singer/songwriter, and renowned sitarist Rishi Dhir, worked, in between creating his own work, with legend Beck and cult bands such as The Brian Jonestown Massacre and he started recently new projects the Acid House Ragas and the wonderful MIEN, with members of The Horrors and The Black Angels.
About the new Elephant Stone record Dhir said: “I’m sure I’m not alone in this sentiment. If social media has taught us anything, it’s that there are a lot of unhappy people out there who are trying to find a way out. They are looking for meaning and something to believe in… or nothing to believe in. We all want the same thing but are trying to achieve it in different ways. With this in mind, we wrote and recorded this new album. I set forth writing a song-suite telling of a world of unhappy souls who have lost connection with each other.” He also revealed that he was inspired by The Who’s rock opera ‘Tommy’, Pretty Things’ fourth album ‘S.F. Sorrow’ and the second side of The Beatles’ classic ‘Abbey Road’ LP.
As a devoted Elephant Stone myself, having seen the band playing live several times,
it’s a great pleasure to have Rishi Dhir guiding us through Hollow track by track…
The songs…
. Here’s Rishi‘s track by track breakdown…
1. Hollow World
“This was the trickiest song for the album as I knew it was to be the opener and I wanted to make sure it pulled the listener in. And it’s the beginning of the whole Hollow concept. I rewrote the track a few times before arriving on this version. I think having my 9-year old daughter sing on this really helped elevate the song.”
2. Darker Time, Darker Space
“I had a Pete Townshend-ish guitar riff lying around and messed around with some
weird vocals sounds with a Neu!-ish back beat. This is where things really start
going bad on earth…”
3. The Court and Jury
“This began with a sitar riff and was initially just an intro for Land of Dead. I decided to make it it’s own thing telling of the court system who decides who will leave for New Earth.”
4. Land of Dead
“Building on the same musical scale used in Court and Jury (bhairavi scale in G) I wrote
this riff on sitar as well. I injected with some Pretty Things/Sabbath stoner rock:) New earth is also dead.”
5. Keep the Light Alive
“The last of humanity arrives on new earth to find it devoid of life. The children ask the parents for guidance and support. I brought in my daughter and a couple of her friends
to sing. I love this song!”
6. We Cry for Harmonia
“The adults begin worshipping Harmonia (spaceship) as their god and saviour. They
lack skills for living in such a harsh climate. Musically, this song was an extension of
the choruses of Keep the Light Alive… I like the folky/Dylan-esque verses which then
go into an Everly Brothers-ish part and then into outer space.”
7. Harmonia
“This is the comedown/epilogue of side A. The last of humanity turn against their new god
Musically, amazing tabla performance by long time collaborator Shawn Mativetsky and my lovely wife Kirsty on backing vocals. I really like the middle 8 on these tunes.”
(Photo by Turn Up the Volume! Ghent, Belgium, 2018)
8. I See You
“This is one of the older songs writing for the album. Very proud of the middle 8 on
this one too… got this gothy vibe to it…”
9. The Clampdown
“Wrote this track on piano. Interesting fact: My piano was tune to 443hz rather than the standard 440hz. So, I had tuned all my other instruments to 443… was tedious but very rewarding in the end! Love Robbie’s guitar tones on this one.”
10. Fox on the Run
“Another older track from the album… the final version is built on a solo demo/jam I did
in my old studio in 2017. I couldn’t see how I’d be able to improve upon the demo, so just kept as is and layered tracks on top. A definite highlight of the album for me.”
11. House on Fire
My family had a fire at our house in late 2017 and then I went on tour supporting
the Dream Syndicate two days later. It was really hard on my wife and kids… this song
is pretty much me saying I’m sorry and that should’ve stayed home to help them.
12. A Way Home
An extension of the last song…. me returning home after leaving my family to fend for themselves… also ties in well with the album concept.
Thank you, Rishi for guiding us trough ‘HOLLOW’.
May the road rise with Elephant Stone!
After sharing three tracks so far, stomper ‘Land Of Dead’, the harmonious ‘Hollow World‘ and darksome ditty ‘Darker Time, Darker Space’, from their upcoming, sixth, album called Hollow, Canadian psych-rockers ELEPHANT STONE dropped another new one.
‘THE COURT AND THE JURY‘ is a brief, sitar driven meditation that sounds both menacing and hypnotic, while distorted vocals reinforce the gloomy resonance of this weird track.
Here’s the accompanying animated video clip
telling the story of an intergalactic judgment…
After sharing so far two tracks, stomper Land Of Dead and the harmonious Hollow World, from their forthcoming new, sixth, album called Hollow Canadian psych-rockers ELEPHANT STONE now revealed another new cut.
‘DARKER TIME, DARKER SPACE’ is a short, reflective and darksome ditty accompanied by this message: “We can’t believe what is happening. We don’t know what to do. Scientists reveal they have built a spaceship that can take the top candidates for continuing humanity to New Earth. We’ve never been there, but we have heard transmissions that suggest life exists like
ours. Who are the lucky ones that get to board starship Harmonia for planet B?”
A couple of weeks ago Canadian psych-rockers ELEPHANT STONE released
stomping lead-single ‘LAND OF DEAD‘ from their forthcoming new album.
And here’s another fresh cut called ‘HOLLOW WORLD‘.
The band’s main man Rishi Dhir shines a light on the song’s sentiments: ‘If social media has taught us anything, it’s that there are a lot of unhappy people out there who are trying to find a way out. They are looking for meaning and something to believe in… or nothing to believe in… I
set forth writing a song-suite telling of a world of unhappy souls who have lost connection
with each other. The storyline touches upon the plundering/poisoning of their home, the elite, demagogues, false idols, the truth as seen by children, and, ultimately, the fight for the survival of their species. ‘Hollow World’ is where it all begins.”
Despite the pessimistic tone of the song it resonates, melodiously, like a multi-colored sonic rainbow with a harmonious and melancholic Beatles-esque feel. ‘Hollow World‘ is
not a great place to be in but in the end the indispensable strength of hope will survive.
So hopefully, new generations will learn today enough in order to move forward in the right direction in the future.
