Elephant Stone: Back Into The Dream

photo: Laurine Jousserand

Canadian psychedelic raga band Elephant Stone have been sharing an abundance of singles in the lead-up to the release of their new album Back Into The Dream. With the addition of the last pieces of puzzle it all comes together rather nicely. During their 15 years as a band they have stuck to their guns: creating kaleidoscopic songs wherein Rishi Dhir explores his hopes and dreams, with Sci-Fi themes creeping in to paint a future without a Hollywood ending.

Back Into The Dream is a continuation of their previous output, but the band is always looking for new sounds beyond the melodic yet powerful psych-pop. Free jazz was an unlikely candidate to make the cut, but lo and behold, it works like a charm in bae, a bubbling track that is almost torn apart by dissonants and "shouting-in-a-bucket" vocals. Pilgrimage is a tale about travel, but if it is really happening is up to the listener to decide. The prog-infused The Imajinary, Nameless Everybody In The World mixes the sound of Genesis' Selling England by the Pound with Laurel Canyon-esque vocals. It is an open-ended album for open-minded listeners.

All tracks are available as instrumentals as well, making it even easier to conjure up a highly personal interpretation of the songs.

Elephant Stone:
Rishi Dhir: vocals, bass, sitar, geetars, mellotron, farfisa, synths, percussion
Miles Dupire-Gagnon: drums
Jason Kent: backing vocals, piano, electric piano, hammond, geetars, bass (track 10)
Adam Kinner: sax
Robbie MacArthur: geetars, synths
Shawn Mativetsky: tabla