Dead Elephant - Lowest Shared Descent

Around mid ’06 I heard Sing the Separation by Italy’s Dead Elephant. In fact I was looking back through all the mixes I’ve done and their song “Clopixol” appeared on a July mix during the same year. However after that I didn’t really hear or see much about them, but fast forward to now and apparently they have a new album out called Lowest Shared Descent which is currently available now through European labels Robot Radio & Donna Bavosa. I don’t think there is any US release at this current time, but is planned.

Dead Elephant are a band that could really go a number of directions musically and probably be able to do it very well. Throughout Lowest Shared Descent, the music ranges from sludgy metallic noise-rock, avant-garde, and industrial/ambient pieces. It’s an interesting and well executed blend of styles that in terms of combining to form an album will have the listener’s attention from start to finish. A lot of the songs on their previous EP Sing the Separation were a bit trebly in my opinion, however all five songs that appeared on that release have been re-recorded and included on Lowest Shared Descent. The new versions sound huge and are absolutely punishing. A lot of things can be heard through these versions that didn’t quite make it through in the earlier ones, so it’s excellent to hear and also doesn’t give off the feel as if these are just rehashed songs. Anyway, along with the re-recorded songs there are also a couple collaborations with one of my favorite music personalities in Eugene Robinson of Oxbow fame and another with Luca Mai, the saxophone player in fellow Italian noise makers Zu. Both of which are highlights on this album.

Dead Elephant – The Same Breath [MP3]

Definitely check out Lowest Shared Descent which can be ordered over a Donna Bavosa currently. Easily one of the best things I’ve heard this year.