There are plenty of musicians that basically stick within the same stylistic coordinates throughout their career. For some, the output progressively becomes duller, whereas others thrive in this environment, finding freedom in limitation. Then there are those who have no interest in standing still, and explore new ground on each release.
“Every album I’ve done has been really different,” says Sydney’s Elana Stone. “I guess there must be something a bit genre extremist about me, where I get really obsessed.”
Stone’s debut record, In The Garden Of Wild Things, came out in 2006, purveying jazzy instrumentation and understated pop sensibilities.On the 2009 follow-up, Your Anniversary, she switched into the guise of a powerful pop-rock bandleader. Stone’s next move was to step away from solo work and team up with Canadian transplant Brian Campeau on spasmodic folk-rock duo The Rescue Ships. Stone and Campeau parted ways in 2011, which prompted her to revert to the solo project.
“Having gone through that Rescue Ships experience, which was musically so beautiful, I had this resurgence of, ‘The only person I can really rely on is me!’ I started thinking that the solo thing was a more sensible format than the band thing, which is always liable to fall apart.”
Last month Stone unveiled the new single ‘Panic Attack’, which is a stomping electropop song dappled with vocal longing and classic rock melodrama. She can’t take complete responsibility for this latest personality update. Rather, it stems from a collaborative partnership with young Sydney producer Jack Britten (AKA Zebra Zap).
“This project really is an amalgamation of my quiet thing, which I guess is a jazz/singer-songwriter thing, with Jack’s thing,” Stone says. “He’s really into Kanye and Frank Ocean and at the time we were recording this we were really into Solange and listening to that sort of music.”
‘Panic Attack’ is taken from Stone’s forthcoming mini-album Duck For Cover, which was recorded entirely with Britten. The pair got together a couple of years ago after Stone asked Britten to produce some demos. It’s since evolved into a project both parties are equally invested in.
“I do listen to the album and go, ‘Wow, I could never have made that by myself,’” says Stone. “It’s definitely got Jack on it and I love that about it. It sounds like two people making good decisions between them, rather than one person making the same decision that they make all the time. That’s what makes it fun for me. If there’s no communal back-and-forth I feel like I’m making music in a vacuum.”
‘Panic Attack’ was preceded by the contagious track ‘Sleep Doesn’t Come’ and both songs herald a prosperous future for Stone and Britten. However, combining forces wasn’t all smooth sailing.
“There were a few power struggles. I would have a very clear idea of what I wanted and he would have a very clear idea of what he wanted. Both of our automatic settings is to be like, ‘This is how it’s going to be.’ So we both had to relinquish some power. I think we really did end up in the middle somewhere.”
Duck For Cover is due out in October and another mini-album will follow early next year. As for her next stylistic excursion, there are a few ideas fermenting.
“I’m thinking a lot at the moment about whether it would sonically match the first half. The last few days I’ve been listening to Harry Nilsson and Rufus Wainwright – some really piano-ey singer dudes. I wondered if having something really minimalist come out after this EP would be really interesting.”
Catch Elana Stone at Old 505 Theatre onWednesday September 3, tickets available online.Also appearing alongside MKO at Brighton Up Bar on Thursday September 4.
