Elephant Sessions
For the Night
Self Released
9 September 2022
Swagger is not a word people usually associate with folk bands, but Elephant Sessions have it in droves. They’ve ramped up the funk for their fourth album, and the results will rock your world. Let’s talk about the elephant in the room.
Hailing from the Highlands of Scotland, they take the high road with their intricate mandolin (Alasdair Taylor) and fiddle (Euan Smillie) tunes and the low road with their drum (Greg Barry) and bass-heavy (Seth Tinsley) backline. For ten years, they have cultivated a formidable live reputation with stunning festival appearances across Europe, the USA, Canada and Australia. Rolling Stone Magazine says, ‘We love them.’ Who are we to disagree?
There’s a lot to love on their latest album, For The Night. It builds on the success of their earlier releases and further embellishes the Scottish trad core with more sweeping synths and funky riffs. Written while we were all in lockdown, dreaming of sweaty nights out or dancing under the moonlight at a music festival, this album is made for summer days and long nights.
The title and introductory track is a belter, opening with bass-heavy funky dance electronica, then the fiddle and mandolin burst on the scene. It’s danceable neo-trad at its best, with the confidence of a tight and talented band, bringing their top game into the mix. The break in the middle builds to a joyous, exuberant climax.
Is This a Vibe is more experimental, driven by a supremely catchy pizzicato violin riff; it lives up to its name with an infectious vibe that ebbs and flows delightfully. Sure to be a live favourite, it is superbly produced, and a glorious listen.
Meanwhile, After Hours could be the theme to a 70s US cop series, complete with funky violin strings until the intricate mandolin arrives and the tune fuses perfectly with Scots trad. So far, so danceable.
Taransay is more mellow and a little trance-like, with an irresistible melody. Meanwhile, Moonwake delves deeper into electronica with experimental stop-start beats, another mid-tempo mid-album track demonstrating the band’s confidence to push their sound to uncharted areas. Next up, Rebirth, with its synth-driven opening, has an acid-croft feel, revealing its subtle folk colours through mandolin and fiddle.
Those Scottish trad flavours are more evident on Ebbe, opening with the sounds of waves with fine, panoramic multi-tracked violins over the top. Beats and electric guitar arrive a third of the way in and take the tune to a more sublime level. This band works hard to keep the arrangements fresh and surprising, which means this all-instrumental album locks in your attention for a very rewarding listen.
Not resting on their laurels, the final track, FM, is one of the most experimental, featuring samples of American radio patter. They’ve come a long way from the Highlands, musically at least. And this is the best distillation yet of their unique, vibrant musical mash-up of funk, trad and electronica. A captivating brew from start to finish.
Website: https://www.elephantsessions.com/
Pre-Order For The Night: https://www.elephantsessions.com/merch/for-the-night-pre-order