Ever Elysian are a seven-piece band on the Brighton scene, bewitching listeners with their evocative soul rock sound. Rooted in classic influences of the 60s and 70s, their blend of influences appreciate Led Zeppelin’s bold classic rock riffs, the experimental melancholy of Pink Floyd, whilst indulging in the intricate jazz-folk touches of finger picking ballads reminiscent of Nick Drake. Yet the emotive contemporary sound of the band is also evident through powerhouse vocals and nonchalant rhythms, walking a similar line of soulful R&B reminiscent to both the expressive warmth of Lianne La Havas, and operatic impact of Jeff Buckley.
We caught up with the band following the release of the single “Fool in Love” to learn more about their background, artistry and upcoming plans.
Can you tell us about how Ever Elysian first came together? What initially brought each of you to the project?
We all studied together at university and after admiring each others musical outputs and styles, we came to our current seven piece line up it is today. We bonded over our passion for the specific styles and genres we explore, and each band member joined at different stages, which aided to the progression of our sound. The project actually started off as a solo project, then a duo, and progressed to the seven piece band we are today.
With seven members in the band, how did you all connect with one another? Were there any connections from past projects, or did it all happen organically?
We’ve all been friends outside of the project for years so our connection only grows within the band setting. Writing, rehearsing, recording and performing together are akin to socials among friends as well as an outlet for each of us to express our musicality and our passion for our instruments. When the band was starting out, the founding members did network within the Brighton scene to find the musicians we wanted to invite into the project, and we also went through a few musicians to find the right people that served the project best, and the ones we now have are lifelong connections.
What’s the story behind the name “Ever Elysian”?
A common question with a slightly conflicting answer. While Toby Mason, guitar, would argue, “it’s a touch big headed having a word such as Elysian in your band name with its godly and flawless connotations. However, the true reason is that our debut EP had a song titled Elysian Fields and we simply liked the named Elysian..so much in fact we put ever infront of it”.
Anya Marsland, lead vocal, on the other hand would say, “There’s a quality of etherealism in our work. Visually and sonically. A great deal of the themes and lyrics explored are inspired by Greek mythology and poetry, which is where the debut EP’s title ‘Elysian Fields’ originated. I find the word pleasurable to say, and beautiful to write, so naming the project under an everlasting Elysium was the logical choice.”
Ever Elysian blends Americana, soft rock, and soul beautifully. Can you talk about the musical influences that shaped this sound?
With all seven members having varying musical backgrounds, different areas of technique specialism, and varying influential artists that contribute to our inspirations, the answer is not so plain. The counterculture scene of the late 60s/early 70s in Laurel canyon, L.A is one particular inspiration to note, the forging of folk rock and later progressive rock massively influencing the sounds we incorporate in our blend of genre. This also goes beyond the sonic influence as the stylistic visuals and introspective writing of this time are also incredibly influential to us.
Your music has been described as creating a sense of serenity. Is this something you consciously aim to create in your songs or is it a natural result of your process?
As our namesake alludes to, a sense of serenity isn’t an emotion we claim to purposely create, however the exploration of dynamic and grasping the listener via changes in the music, seems to be a natural occurrence that the serenity and harmony connections are made. It’s a wonderful feeling to get feedback like this and create this atmosphere live, feeling a certain energy back from listeners in response.
Your latest single “Fool in Love” explores the vulnerability and optimism of unexpected love. Can you tell us a bit about the inspiration behind the lyrics and how this theme came to life?
Of course the title itself is a little play on words! The inspiration comes from both personal experiences of love and in romanticising our environment and the connections we experience to their fullest. One could argue it’s just a part of anyone’s journey of falling in love to naturally feel the colliding of your wants, needs, reality and fantasies. The song explores this and we hope many of our listeners can relate.
With three sold-out release shows in Brighton, what has been your most memorable performance moment so far?
I have to say although we’ve certainly developed as musicians and the project as a whole has evolved considerably since our debut EP was released, our EP release show at Brighton Electric was very special. This was the only performance we have done with live strings, and to be able to host it where we recorded it, organised alongside our friends at hutsound, it was a night that’ll live long in the memory.
Are there any specific goals or themes you’d like to explore in your future projects?
We’ve been experimenting in our writing lately, leaning into a more folk rock sound with varying tunings and scales so we’re excited to develop further on this and show our listeners what we’ve been working on.
What would you say is the next milestone Ever Elysian wants to achieve in the indie music scene?
We’d be incredibly keen to join as support on tour, or perhaps do a tour ourselves to reach a wider audience around the UK and to travel together. This would be a beautiful milestone for us as its something we’ve thought about for a while now but have been focusing on recording and releasing new material as of late. Our next milestone will indeed be the release of our second EP.
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