Hello Baby Okay

When Elder Island went into the studio to record the follow-up to their critically acclaimed 2021 album, Swimming Static, they were determined to “turn everything on its head”. The trio are celebrated for their brooding indie-electronica that draws on their Bristol roots, creating vastly detailed and immersive soundscapes. But Hello Baby Okay marks a new era for the band, fuelled by a longing for transcendence and euphoria. An effervescent counterpoint to the current times, their new music is threaded through with a liberated energy, lilting funk-pop guitars, danceable beats and a renewed sense of play. “We wanted the joy to shine through,” they say.

While Swimming Static was densely constructed, with instrumentation meticulously layered in the editing suite, its follow-up was a totally different process where “we did the complete opposite,” says Katy Sargent (vocals, cello). When they went into the studio in 2023, they went back to their roots with free-flowing jam sessions, rekindling their sense of spontaneity while channeling the warm embrace of the dancefloor. “Our sound got pigeonholed into a chillout coffee-shop playlist space,” says Luke Thornton (bass, beat-making), but in fact, David Havard (guitar, synths, programming) continues, “DJ culture has been heavily influential on our approach to music.”

Released: May 2026
Cat: EIHBOLPD
Label: Elder Island

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