Elephant has released a new single, “Too Close” and from the first listen, Shane Clarke’s voice gives us a good reason to stay with it. There is real passion in the way he sings, but it is the mix of his voice, the writing and the music around it that makes this one stand out.
The production is polished without taking away the song’s personal side. Orchestral sounds sit alongside a steady electronic pulse and the layers in the vocals add more detail as the track moves on. The instrumentation is rich and full of great moments. The melodies are captivating and the Irish influences are impressive without making the song easy to place in just one style. He has his unique way of doing things.
There is a personal subject behind this song. Clarke writes about keeping people at a distance, partly to protect himself and partly because he worries about hurting someone else. It is an honest idea, and he does not turn it into a big speech. Instead, the lyrics and the vocal delivery leave enough room for listeners to take their own meaning from it. Clarke handled the recording, production and mixing himself which adds another interesting part to the release.
He is talented and his voice is rich and full of character with a delivery that holds attention. The songwriting has depth and the instrumental work is truly impressive. We have really enjoyed discovering Elephant with this track, and this is an artist we would happily keep following. Enjoy 🙂
ABOUT THE ARTIST:
Elephant, the musical vehicle of Dundalk based multi-instrumentalist Shane Clarke has, over its brief five year life, bounced around the hallways of avant-garde folk, synth pop, soft rock all the way to Eno inspired 80’s gothic romance. A balancing act few artists could pull off without being questioned as to what exactly is their style? Yet Clarke has negotiated the arduous terrain by always staying true to his idea that an artist should just get out of the way and let the song become whatever it is meant to become…be that a trashy electronica tune, or a ghostly synth-wave number…never try to mold it into whats considered your genre, genre is a cage. Music is fluid. You are only as old as you feel. Shane Clarke turns 37 this year.
