This week has been an unexpectedly busy week with a collection of shows and a few job interviews. But the show as always must go on, right? So let’s get to it!
Brossard, Quebec-born, Montréal-based singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Rishi Dhir is a grizzled Montréal indie rock and psych rock scene vet , who has played in a number of bands, including The Datsons and The High Dials. He is also an in-demand sitarist and bassist, who has collaborated with Beck, The Brian Jonestown Massacre, The Black Angels, The Soundtrack of Our Lives, The Dream Syndicate, psych rock supergroup MIEN and countless others.
Dhir founded the acclaimed psych rock outfit and JOVM mainstays Elephant Stone back in 2009. Along with collaborators and bandmates Miles Duper (drums), Gab Lambert (guitar), Robbie MacArthur (guitar) and Jason Kent (keys, guitar), the Montréal-based band has released six albums, including 2013’s self-titled album and 2020’s acclaimed Hollow. They’ve also released a handful of EPs including last year’s Francophone Le Voyage de M. Lonely dans la Lune. Each of those efforts has them develop and then firmly cement a unique sound that incorporates elements of traditional Indian classic music with Western psych rock with introspective lyrics rooted in Dhir’s own personal experiences.
Dhir’s own journey in music, frequently found him trying to find a place that fit him until he decided that what he made was worth sharing in the space that he had created for himself. “I only write about what I know and think I understand. As long as there’s Rishi, there’s going to be Elephant Stone,” Dhir says in press notes.
Earlier this year, the JOVM mainstays released Dawn, Day, Dusk, which featured “Godstar,” and “The Imajinary, Nameless Everybody In The World.” Those tracks saw the band continuing their narrative journey with material that deftly balances human complexities with introspective themes while showcasing an evolving sound. Their latest single, “Lost In A Dream,” is the follow-up to Dawn, Day, Dusk and much like its predecessor features a subtle change in their sound. Built around a Tame Impala-like groove, the new single still continues the band’s long-held reputation for dexterous guitar work paired with catchy hooks and introspective lyrics.
“Creating ‘Lost In A Dream’ has been a thrilling journey for us, one where the fascination with dreams and their mysterious ties to reality took center stage,” the band’s Rishi Dhir says. “While there are subtle hints of inspirations like The Nazz’s ‘Open My Eyes‘ and Echo and the Bunnymen‘s ‘Killing Moon,’ this song is really about charting our own musical course. We’ve woven an auditory landscape that we hope allows listeners to dive into their thoughts and dreams. It’s all about losing yourself in the music, in the narrative it spins, and finding a resonance within your own life.”
Elephant Stone will be embarking on a UK and European Union tour throughout the bulk of September. Check out the tour dates below.
UK/EU TOUR-DATES
9 SEPT Lille FR / La Bulle Café
10 SEPT Asten NL / Misty Fields Festival
12 SEPT Nantes FR / Black Shelter
13 SEPT Bordeaux FR / Allez Les Filles
14 SEPT Madrid ES / Wurlitzer Ballroom
15 SEPT Zaragoza ES / Zaragoza Psych Fest
16 SEPT Barcelona ES / Gambeat weekend
17 SEPT Logrono ES / Stereo
20 SEPT Marseille FR / Molotov Club
22 SEPT Paris, France / La Boule Noire
23 SEPT Renesse NL / Eb & Vloed festival
24 SEPT London UK / The Shacklewell Arms
27 SEPT Groningen NL / Vera
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