The elephant in the room should be acknowledged in Black Elephant. On songs like Four Years, they use a constant thumping beat in the background that propels the song forward, while the vocals, taking on that nonchalant and distant sound reminiscent of 90’s shoegaze, float somewhere near the middle. The oft-used drone and reverb sounds give what could be construed as a simple pop melody; a darker edge that helps them shape a unique sound for themselves. This especially rings true in Roce et Roule, where a guitar line in overdrive and exclamatory vocals make a catchy tune suddenly more gritty. Anyone looking for music to pull a double duty of dance worthy tunes and something to just vibe and relax to can find it in Black Elephant. If you want to catch them live, they’ll be playing at the Open Melody festival in Irvine on the 19th of this month and the Smell in LA on the 27th. – Taylor Lampela