“...(the) Lounge Rock part of their genre title referring to the laid back Soft Rock with its subtle Bluesy overtones and the Progressive prefix giving rise to the more playful, experimental moments in the overall soundscape that come from either spatial sounds or moments that get closer - but never fully commit - to a Hard Rock bite.” - Mark Allard-Will
— North Sask Music Zine
Biography
Elephant Seal released their sophomore album Arrest Your Ascent in December 2023. The album reflects a breadth of musical dynamic intersecting with various genres, while maintaining Elephant Seal’s signature narrative-style lyrics. Themes of existentialism and the pursuit of contentment amid life’s challenges are explored against a backdrop of melancholic introspection, acting as a mediator for listeners in their confrontation with meaninglessness and progress.
In the spring of 2022, the band received a Creative Sask recording grant and headed into the studio. In July, shortly after recording the first two tracks, the life of band member Joshua Peters was suddenly taken. In honour of Joshua, the recorded tracks, “Redshift Horizon” and “New Felt / Maelstrom”, were released in Autumn of 2022. The third track “You’re Not Mine” of the forthcoming album was released in September 2023.
Arrest Your Ascent was produced by Matt Stinn (GreenWing, Friends of Foes, Saul the singer) and mastered by Trevor Case (Rita Ora, Jon Batiste). The band also worked with Stinn and Case on their single “Fear to Fly”, released Spring of 2021. The single debuted at #3 at Valley FM Radio 89.5 in Australia and had airplay in Europe and North America. It was released on the vinyl compilation “How Flat Sounds” in December 2021 to raise funds for the SaskMusic Emergency Financial Relief Fund.
The band originated as The Elephant Seal Song Company in 2016, when cousins Seth Peters (Cue the Chase) and Jordan Reimer (Fisticuffs, Dream Country, The Gravity Brothers) commenced collaboration on a new project. They quickly recruited an unrelated friend, Joshua Peters (Unreal, Sonitus, JJ Atrio, Josh & Van). Throughout long nights, the three experimented with every aspect and nuance of creating music, fusing together genres to create a sound of their own. The Saskatoon-based band released their self-titled debut in late 2019 (mixed/mastered/produced by Matt Stinn). Soon after, pianist Joyce Reimer became the fourth member, providing the ability to bring the multi-layered sounds of the album to live performances, and adding a new dimension to the song writing process.
With elements of post-rock, dark wave, and folk music, Elephant Seal weaves the lyrical stylings of Fleet Foxes with the brooding soundscape of Manchester Orchestra, endearing them to fans of alternative, indie, and folk rock. Amidst the biting guitar riffs, thundering rhythms, and swirling dark undertones, their contemplative songs tell poetic tales of loss and the search for distant hope.
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