Stealing a bit of the new romantics vibe, stir in a bit of extra synth pop and a smooth guitar edge and you’ll be close to the sound of “Like Elephants”. Their new wave sound shows plenty of variation across their EP which came out last week and is sure to become a persistent ear worm.
“Holiday” kicks things off with rubbery guitars jangling over thick but soft keyboards and electric piano as the hand clap happy drum beat slow dances its way through the ages. It nods gently to a Christmas number in some of its sounds, but it certainly doesn’t feel like it. It’s a deceptively subdued start that allows “Ghost”‘s switch of gears to a rockier focus to really grab you. Many indie pop bands take cues from other genres and this mini anthem takes its cues from the dance floor with break downs and build ups for choruses and riffs that let you put your arms up in the air and not care. It’s not that Like Elephants are a breezy band – but they know how to ride a feeling and moment with their bright moments in a song. “These Pictures” then waltzes between the two with a catchy midtempo track before the title track rounds things off with the most new wave Duran Duran like piece of the EP. It slowly slides towards a more psychedelic tone as the Austrian band move into a more muddier sound which suits them just as well as the polished sound. If I had a complaint, it’s that the vocals are quite low in timber and lost in the more brighter and sweeping sounds – I’ve listened to the EP several times and I still haven’t picked out many of the lyrics. I end up just humming the tunes, which are catchy in themselves.
All in all, it’s a good start for Like Elephants that show that there’s plenty of fun to be had whilst mumbling.
Recommended Track : Ghost