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Reviews

Elifantree — Florescence
(Eclipse Music ECD-2026266 / ELP-2026284, 2026, CD / LP / DL)

by Jon Davis, Published 2026-06-24

Florescence Cover art

I first encountered Elifantree on Blood Moon, their 2021 collaboration with Tölöläb. Florescence features the experimental trio on their own, and it’s an album full of interesting sounds and textures. The group consists of Anni Elif (vocals, synthesizers, zither), Pauli Lyytinen (tenor sax, Mellotron, electronics, drum machine, synthesizer), and Olavi Louhivuori (drums, percussion), and the distinctive instrumentation is only part of their appeal. To begin with, Elif has a beautiful voice, and in both phrasing and tone often sounds like a more jazzy version of Kate Bush — Emily Bezar and Happy Rhodes come to mind as well. She often doubles the main vocal line an octave lower, which heightens the Kate Bush comparison. Lyytinen’s sax is often used to great effect, sometimes adding textural fills, and sometimes providing Philip Glass style arpeggios or stuttery rhythmic patterns, either cleanly or with electronic effects. We even get what might be deemed a sax solo on "Louder Love," though it doesn't adhere to jazz idioms, and the way it intertwines with the voice is very effective. Real and electronic drums and percussion mix seamlessly and indistinguishably, and the synthesizers provide expansive pads more often than melodies or distinct chords. While several of the tracks feature tasty grooves, the overall mood is on the meditative side, not aimed at the dance floor. It’s a beautiful album, and all seven tracks contain distinctive wonders of their own, well worth investigating for times when high energy isn’t called for.

Filed under: New releases, 2026 releases

Related artist(s): Elifantree

More info
http://elifantree.bandcamp.com/album/florescence

 

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