Jack Froggatt, who typically fronts the Australian indie-electronic trio Mansionair, has catapulted his solo music direction under the moniker ELMAR, releasing his captivating new single At Your Feet ahead of the release of a debut album in November.
ELMAR embraces the track with his tender vocals and lyrics of longing and obsession, all while maintaining a sonic dive into atmospheric electronic sounds that don’t stray too far from his roots. At the helm of it, ELMAR muses introspectively about the yearning experience of wanting to fix things both in a relationship and when faced with life’s complexities.
In a press release, he said the single is only one of many complication stories riddled throughout the record.
“[It’s about] when you’re just so hopelessly trying to fix anything in your life, in your relationship or whatever. Even just in a sense of being so lost in an idea of an obsession, being so in love with someone that you’re just like, “Oh my God – you have to be it, because I am so invested and I’m literally on the altar, at your feet.”
Froggatt’s solo venture as ELMAR is representative of a musical and personal evolution in his life – a release from his past, and a dive into a safe place where he can “escape the noise and rediscover the joy of creation”.
When asked about a visceral memory or life experience that forced his journey forward, ELMAR told The Music that it all comes back to the surfing culture he grew up in and the innate love for the ocean he has always possessed.
“Surfing has been the centre of my world since I was a kid,” he said.
“Funnily enough one story that comes to mind was when I went for a coffee with a friend of mine up in the Northern Rivers. After coffee we decided to look in the local Vinnies, I was flicking through a stack of old CDs and pulled out an early copy of Cafe Del Mar Compilation. There wasn’t a tonne of music in my childhood home but the few exceptions were Cafe Del Mar & Sade’s Diamond Life. I bought the Cafe Del Mar CD for $2 and chucked it in my car’s CD player. It stayed in there for a good part of two years,”.
“It reminded me so much of my childhood, going to the beach, whilst also soundtracking the recent surf trips I’d taken with friends. I was making new memories with old music and I fell in love with the idea of making my own beach inspired music. That was really new for me having spent so long making electronic music for late night listening.”
When creating the stories and sounds featured within his forthcoming debut album Beneath My Skin, ELMAR relays that he was able to discover parts of his artistry he hadn’t yet tapped into – listening inward and trusting in himself to fulfil the vision.
“[The process] led to some more honest lyrics that I hadn’t really laboured over all that hard and the project just seemed to roll into itself, so long as I showed up and was paying attention to my own taste.”
ELMAR has received numerous accolades over the years, including a Grammy nomination and several Gold records as Mansionair, and collaborations with fellow electronic music artists like Odesza, Doma Dolla and Rezident. Now, the artist is ready to place himself at the forefront of the game, showcasing music that is personal, freeing, and formative.
At Your Feet is out now on all streaming platforms, and ELMAR’s debut album Beneath My Skin will be released on November 29th.
