On ‘Underwater’, Elephant Gym‘s latest release and second full-length, there was no single composer overseeing the record. To the end of unlocking new sounds for themselves, each member took turns leading production and compositional roles during the creation of the album. The result is an expansive cohesion of diverse songs which flow in and out of one another like water. Vocal cameos by international collaborators provide another compelling dimension to the record, emboldening a group usually known for their instrumental compositions.
Elephant Gym builds worlds through a bass-driven, jazz-and-funk-inflected writing style that teems with agile, articulate excitement. While commonly associated with the subgenre of math-rock, Elephant Gym employs their own unique technical candor, with rhythms and melodies that never cross the line into uncomfortable angularity.
Based in Taiwan, siblings KT and Tell were taught classical music by their mother before meeting drummer Chia-Chen in high school through a music club. Shortly after discovering they all shared the same taste in music, they formed Elephant Gym, solidifying their shared affinity for all varieties of math- and post-rock.
The band explains that “Underwater is an idea about a kind of private, mysterious space.” It’s a place where one may go to ponder or concentrate, to clear one’s head, or to just blow off some steam in solitude. So, too, is ‘Underwater’ fundamentally about immersion: immersion in the chaos of feeling, living in the throes of being human-sized in the infinite expanse of existence. Elephant Gym deftly weaves this universal concept into their signature sound without ever pulling you out of your personal space, leaving you to yourself underwater.
Listen to Elephant Gym‘s new album here:
Underwater by Elephant Gym
Elephant Gym Tour dates:
December 14, 2018: Shanghai, China @ MAO Livehouse Shanghai
December 15, 2018: Hangzhou, China @ MAO Livehouse Hangzhou
December 16, 2018: Beijing, China @ YugongYishan
December 19, 2018: Nanjing, China @ Ola
December 20, 2018: Wuhan, China @ VOX
December 21, 2018: Guangzhou, China @ MAO Livehouse Guangzhou
December 22, 2018: Shenzhen, China @ B10 Live
December 23, 2018: Xiamen, China @ Real Live
January 18, 2019: Singapore
January 19, 2019: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia @ Live Fact
