If you had stopped by the studio when Bye Beneco was recording its debut full-length earlier in 2014, you
would have stumbled on a scene littered with clues about what Space Elephant would eventually sound
like.
Softly sparkling fairy lights. Persian carpeting with a piling so plush you could easily sink into it. A splayed
out traditional Japanese Wagasa umbrella. And, at the heart of it all, a shrine to Mexican artist Frida
Kahlo with a dimly lit world globe as its centerpiece.
It was the perfect setting for the creation of a defiant, South African-hewn flag bearer for music that defies
easy categorisation; for an album that’s at once welcoming and inviting, and explosively experimental
and thrilling.
Those who have been following Bye Beneco since the Johannesburg-based band emerged in 2013
will know that creating a debut album that falls outside simple catch-alls like Indie-Folk or Indie-Pop is
befitting for this musical collective.
Through a growing slate of live performances (including Oppikoppi 2013) and gripping videos (“On
The Line”), Bergen Nielson (drums, guitar), Lenny-Dee Doucha (vocals, guitar), Jenny Dison (vocals,
percussion) and Matthew Watson (drums, percussion, guitar) have emerged as willing to explore sounds
and words without constraint.


Source by Just Music South Africa