With the days starting to lengthen and the sun starting to appear more regularly I’ve been on the hunt for some summery tunes to soundtrack my days. Once again, my pals over at Fuzz Club have come up with the goods. Back Into The Dream is the sixth album from Montreal psych-pop band Elephant Stone. The band consists of driving force Rishi Dhir with Miles Dupire on drums, Jason Kent juggling keys and guitar, and Robbie MacArthur on guitar.
This band have crafted their distinctive sound over a 14-year career that has seen them gain plaudits for each and every album they’ve released. But what is the motivating theme behind the songs on this album. Dhir has this to say.
“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. ‘Back Into the Dream’ isn’t merely an album; it’s a complex orchestration of emotions, ideas, and existential inquiries.”
I can’t wait to drop the needle on this one so let’s dive in.
We open on ‘Lost in the Dream’ and straight away the summery pop vibes wash over us. There’s a careful balance between those sweet vocal harmonies and the strummed acoustic guitar in the verses. When the chorus erupts in technicolour, we are bathed in the many colours of Elephant Stones genius. It’s a really strong opener.
It’s obvious from the intro to the ‘The Spark’ next that this band have a lot more hooks up their sleeves. The harmonies, on guitar this time, are rich and warm and when that chorus comes it takes you soaring. On writing this song Dhir has some in depth thoughts to share.
“Crafting a song is like tapping into a kind of magic that exists beyond the realm of the ordinary. I’m in perpetual pursuit of that elusive sensation—the spark that turns fleeting thoughts into something immortal. ‘The Spark’ is my love letter to the art of songwriting, a tribute to the creative process itself. It’s about that serendipitous moment when time and space align, allowing you to capture lightning in a bottle.”
“From that ineffable feeling, I labour to find the right words, striving to make the abstract both concrete and deeply personal. Each completed song leaves me both satisfied and hungry—satisfied that I’ve said something meaningful, and hungry to rediscover that spark once more.”
The band tap into their sixties influence for the stunning ‘Going Underground’ (not The Jam song). The guitars here hark back to the sharp and cutting riffs of Townsend and Marriott. That insistent and driving drum beat providing the basis for those riffs to explode from. The chorus Teenage Fanclub would kill for. All call and response on the harmony singing.
The spaced-out intro of ‘History Repeating’ takes us flying into the heavens to soar through the heavens. There’s a sparkly and pulsing vibe to the song that resolves nicely in the coda section to bring us gently back down to earth.
We remain in cosmic territory for out there sounds of ‘bae’. Taking that space folk jam that The Byrds began on The Notorious Byrds Brothers and bringing it bang up to date. It’s second half bursting through the psychedelic veil and, like the close of 2001: A Space Odyssey, takes us hurtling into the void.
Next, we have the two tracks that made up the Dawn, Day, Dusk release from earlier this year. Firstly, the instrumental ‘Godstar’ channels the raga style of David Crosby and provides us with an eastern flavour. Tabla and sitar providing us with another side to Elephant Stone. This segues into the expansive and all consuming ‘The Imajinary, Nameless Everybody In The World’. This song completely floored me on first listen. It’s almost eight-minute runtime flying by in an instant. This could easily be the centre piece of some lost rock opera. It cycles through pastoral psych folk, rock and into free form jazz moments to create this stunning listening experience.
That free jazz vibe continues into ‘Pilgrimage’. Its lush arrangement built on a shuffling drum beat and very percussive bassline which drives the swirling saxophone and chiming guitars to even loftier heights.
We return to the hooky psych pop with ‘On Our Own’. The Big Star vibes are real and I’m here for it. It’s a perfect hooky pop number with a baroque moment or two as additional ear candy. They employ their vocal harmonies in just the right places providing us with flashes of light as they go.
The album closes out with the Beatle-esque ‘Another Year Gone’. It’s a lovely full stop to this album with its Mellotron intro and Sgt Pepper era arrangement. It’s only begun and its over but not before they treat us to their beautiful vocal harmonies one last time.
Elephant Stone are a band after my own heart. We share a lot of musical touchpoints, particularly from the sixties. What I appreciate more than anything though, is both the care and attention that has gone into the writing and performing of each song as well as the track listing of those songs. The album flows along quite naturally and carries you along with a massive smile on your face. This will be the soundtrack for my next few months as the days stretch out in front of us and the sun returns to our skies.
Back Into The Dream is available now from Fuzz Club Records, from the Elephant Stone Bandcamp Page as well as your favourite indie record shop.
You can follow Elephant Stone on social media here…
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