Tenth release from Canadian indie-psyche-rockers Elephant Stone.
If Canada can produce bands like Elephant Stone – it’s no wonder they don’t feel the need to become part of Trump’s Empire. Tarif this ya big orange toddler.
Their latest album dropped this week, and it is a thing of beauty. Psychedelic-indie-rock of the highest order
IN THEIR OWN WORDS: Elephant Stone celebrates 20 years and a milestone 10th studio release with ASHA, their most visceral and personal project to date. Named after frontman Rishi Dhir’s late mother—Asha meaning “Hope” in Sanskrit—the album is a meditation on finding sanctuary within an increasingly dark world. Released August 28, 2026At the center of Montreal’s Elephant Stone is Rishi Dhir, a songwriter and sitarist who has spent twenty years blurring the lines between Western psych-pop and Indian classical tradition. What began in 2006 as a quest for transcendental sound has evolved into a singular, self-contained vision. Operating out of his Montreal home studio, Sacred Sound, Dhir has emerged as a true studio auteur—producing, engineering, and mixing the band’s increasingly complex and cinematic output. While the band’s reputation was built on airtight pop craftsmanship and spiritual exploration, their recent work—anchored by longtime members Miles Dupire, Robbie MacArthur, and Jason Kent—possesses a new, raw intensity. It is a sound forged through Dhir’s deep collaborative history with icons like The Black Angels, The Brian Jonestown Massacre, and Beck, as well as his role in the psych-supergroup MIEN. Elephant Stone — Psychedelic Rock from Montreal
PEPPERMINT IGUANA ZINE TWO MINUTE REVIEW
Dreamy psychedelic indie pop that owes almost as much to Bollywood as it does to Madchester. Multi-instrumentalist Rishi Dhir plays bass, dilruba, guitar, keyboards, percussion, sitar, tabla, and vocals. Thus bringing a depth to the sound that no average three-piece pop combo could match. At times blissed out, but occasionally quite heavy.
Think three parts Stone Roses, two parts Kula Shaker, one part Lazy Eyes. Shaken, not stirred. A thing of beauty that has prompted us to explore their back catalogue. Currently touring Europe, check them out.