Wednesday 17 January 2018

Single: Elephant - Waiting Game Part II

Elephant - Waiting Game Part II


Info: Dundalk artist Elephant (aka Shane Clarke) has become something of an understated enigma in Irish music. From the theatrical and introspective tones of his critically acclaimed 2015 debut album HyperGiant, the singles he has released since then, especially lately, are the early sprouts of a new chapter in the Elephant Chronicles. Of course there were hints back in 2015, but since then it appears that he has let the world of music pour into him, and controlled it without becoming overwhelmed.

Listening back to 'Waiting Game' from last summer, which drew a hard line in the sand in terms of his sound, it's hard, as it usually is with his music, not to become a little overwhelmed emotionally yourself. But that single truly was the intro for me to 'Waiting Game Part II', this is a most luxurious velvet cloth of 80's-inspired new romanticism. Bryan Ferry is standing outside in the dark with his ear pressed against the window as Clarke pulls this one out of the bag on the inside. 

I'm as happy not dwelling on words or themes when listening to music, switching off and zoning out, as I am becoming subsumed in songs which pull you under into their world. Elephant's music does the latter, and leaves an indelible mark on the soul, mind and heart simultaneously, but when he chooses to. The word on the street in The Town is that there's an album coming sometime in 2018, it might be beyond the stratosphere.


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