In a climate of disconnected singles, Montreal’s Elephant Stone brings us a refreshing concept album. While keeping with their signature psych-rock sound, their fifth studio Hollow saturates the senses, not so much in a linear fashion but more like a fragmented kaleidoscope, viewed as a whole.
The first track, “Hollow World”, sets the tone with a symbiotic ebb and flow, both musically and thematically. The sense of longing for what could have been is depicted in a Beatle-esque vista, as the well-crafted contrast of a children’s choir overlaps, nudging towards a hopeful future on the horizon.
“We Cry for Harmonia” echoes the theme with wailing guitar and rhythmic percussion. Poppy psychedelia escalating into distortion leads to the gateway of “Harmonia”. A much heavier sound here, features the sitar skills of Rishi Dhir, delving further from pop into insistent, warped frequencies. The short but not so sweet “Land of the Dead” calls for a grinding guitar to serenade an apocalyptic planet’s fall from grace.
“I See You” ejects us from the weighty earthly plane up to space with its airy feel. Soft orchestrations and sweet pauses lead into a crux of seamless effects alongside a hypnotic percussion solo. With its electronic vibes, “Fox on the Run” could best be described as the spiritual baby of Animal Collective and Stone Roses, from another galaxy. Matters conclude with the pretty little ditty, “A Way Home”, haunting and sharp as a feather’s edge.
The production on this album is thoughtful from start to finish, from pockets of the raw and gritty to dreamy vocals and underlying subtleties peeking through. Also, a sitar can often overpower a song, yet here, it meshes in and out, powerful yet subdued at times.
Hollow will satiate your nostalgia for George Harrison and much more besides, yet the lyrical progression and instrumentation are anything but predictable. Take the trip, it’s well worth it.
