Elephante releases new album ‘COPE’

Hailing from Los Angeles, Elephante is a DJ, producer and singer-songwriter who crafts melodic dance music that pulses with emotion and storytelling. Born in Michigan and with roots tracing back to Taipei, Elephante’s artistic story has been far from straightforward. After graduating from Harvard, he spent a brief stint in the corporate world but found himself suffocated by the elephant in the room; his unfulfilled desire to create music. Breaking free from the confines of a nine-to-five, he headed west to pursue his creative dreams, a decision that’s resulted in him becoming a celebrated artist today.

Sharing his prolific sonic output over the last decade, he’s delivered an incredible catalogue of work across a plethora of singles, remixes, EPs and albums while racking up over a hundred million spins online. Championing the work of other creatives, he’s also founded the artist collective called Hidden Horizon to build community and support new Asian Pacific American artists.

Now he brings us his latest full-length record titled COPE, released via his label Hidden Horizon imprint, a ten-track LP that frames the emotional spectrum of healing and strength by bringing together personal tales about life’s traumas and hardships. As Elephante explains, “COPE is about all the different ways that we get through trauma and difficult moments in our lives. Each of the songs is a different approach to coping.”

Opened with “Say It Like You Mean It,” Elephante links with SABAI and Ridgely to craft a heartfelt electronic pop outing that glows with delicate piano notes, soft percussion and elegant female vocal leads. Spinning poignant lyrics via silky melodies, the arrangement builds to an explosive drop of impactful synths and pounding drums to craft a euphoric dance-focused pop experience.

Featuring Linney, “Don’t Turn Back” lays down a bright an uptempo sound where fluttering instrumentation and lively beats are met by graceful vocal performance carrying instantly catchy hooks. It’s a spectacular synth-driven jam packed full of slick beats, colourful synth textures and invigorating ebb and flow. “Leave The Ground,” with Amber Liu slows things down with a theatrical electronic pop voyage of dreamy instrumental tones and an emotive vocal duet, swelling to a punchy finale to cast an anthemic soundscape.

The album’s lead single comes with “Taste of Your Tongue” featuring babyidontlikeyou, a track that perfectly captures Elephante’s knack for balancing emotionally charged storytelling with a vibrant electronic setting. Driven by thumping beats and shimmering synths, “Taste of Your Tongue” is an exhilarating ride through the highs and lows of revisiting past emotions, wrapped up in an infectious dance pop sound.

Reflecting on the track, he shares, “It’s a song about nostalgia, and looking back with rose-colored glasses at an old relationship that didn’t work out. As time goes on, we forget the bad and remember the good, and sometimes we make mistakes trying to recapture the magic. And sometimes you just gotta say fuck it, and have that fling that you know you shouldn’t.”

Other highlights on the record include songs like “All Is Not Lost” with its breezy acoustic guitar elements and gentle vocals which rise with a driving array of synths and energising rhythms. Closing the album with “Know your Name,” artists Hoang and HALUNA join Elephante for one last dose of shimmering electronic pop brimming with crisp beats, vivid instrumentation and dazzling vocal performance, concluding Elephante’s incredible new record with a memorable finale.

Listen to COPE below