Rob Elo is a singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist originally hailing from Vancouver Island whose musical versatility allows him to explore a range of genre and styles in his sound. With a repertoire spanning ambient downtempo, electronic pop, acoustic ballads and rhythmic jazz and soul, Rob Elo brings a sound that’s uniquely his own.
Now based in Yellowknife in Canada’s Northwest Territories, he’s been crafting his own unique musical output via adept instrumental skill, stellar songwriting flair and pure vocal panache. First introducing his sound to the world on his debut EP 30 Is The New 20 in 2020, last year he returned with the single “Either Way.”
Now he’s back and brings us his latest release with his new sophomore single titled “Same Mistakes.” Much like his last single “Either Way,” Rob performed the drums, synth bass and piano with an Otari 8-track tape recorder to capture a woozy lo-fi aesthetic.
This time departing from the shimmering upbeat vibes of his first single, with “Same Mistakes” he ventures into a rhythmic-focused sphere, augmented by sultry saxophone flourishes from his talented school friend Dave Lawson. Opened by the eerie sweep of sonic textures, the song settles into an alternative R&B soundscape built on a beautifully swung rhythm carried by the downtempo snap of the beat.
Rob’s smoothly hushed vocals gently dance above, mimicking the laid back groove of the arrangement with a delivery that perfectly balances laid back style with intricate precision. Soft piano chords and synth swells ride the thud of the stuttered bass line as the artist spins mellow melodies, met with the warm stretches of sax leads to usher in the chorus. Memorable vocal repeats serve up thoughtful lyricism about falling into negative behaviour patterns, resulting in a subtly catchy listening experience backed by the arrangement of delectable instrumental layers.
Cut with a sensational piano solo injecting jazz-inflected aesthetic, the every present groove will have casual listeners swaying along while no doubt inducing skank face in impressed musicians. Mixed by Max Frazer in Montreal and mastered by Brock McFarlane in Vancouver, this all-Canadian production is the second single lifted from the aritst’s upcoming EP set to drop this Spring. As he continues to showcase his highly original and thoroughly enjoyable sound, Rob Elo is sure to stake his claim as a must-watch artist throughout this year and beyond.
Listen to Same Mistakes below
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