Tuesday, April 29, 2014

REVIEW: Elephant - Sky Swimming


The London duo Elephant, consisting of  Amelia Rivas and Christian Pinchbeck, have pulled off a difficult feat.  In Sky Swimming they have created a well-balanced 12-track set of dream pop/beach pop/chamber pop of a style that often is charming in the 7" or EP format, but just as often can lose steam as an LP.  But more than that, they have addressed disintegrating relationships while in a real time parallel their own relationship was breaking.

All the components on the album are tasteful, with just the right amount of restraint and bubbling melody to make this the perfect accompaniment to floating in the pool or drifting the evening away on a sailboat.  But the purpose and drive shine through with the careful infusion of strands of '60s pop, the emotion of the performances and the evident overall care in which the songs are arranged.  It may be a soundtrack to a figurative breakup.  It could be the soundtrack to your breakup.  But dammit -- it still is a seductive listen, and an album you'll return to all summer.

Sky Swimming is out today via Memphis Industries.






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