Asian markets don’t mean just Japan and thereabouts, although it is well known that Elefant Records has had an important presence in the Nippon market from a long time ago. Juice Magazine (www.juiceonline.com) is the most important music/clubbing magazine in Singapore (now also established in Indonesia), with an estimated readership that reaches 1.2 million.

We don’t know if they’re aware of the "Elefant Juice" compilation we released many years ago, but the thing is that they have just released a special feature on Elefant Records on their Label Junkie section, where they recommend their readers about the best and most interesting pop record labels around the world.

This is a new prove of the passion and level of acknowledgement Elefant Records receives from our faithful following in South East Asia, a place where we have always felt at home. [ Read more ]

Tracyanne Campbell and her troupe have just entered the studio in Stockholm in order to record the follow-up to their successful previous effort “Underachievers please try harder”. At the same time, the Glaswegian band have just renewed their website, a full refurbishing of it that has proved to be a great job: by clicking on www.camera-obscura.net you can get to know them better (their recommended links, Nigel’s recipes, Kenny’s Q&A’s…), you can find pictures from their tours, participate in their forum, and even read their own blog (which you can also enter directly by clicking on http://cameraobscura-.blogspot.com), where they will surely write the day-to-day story of their recording of this third album, due to be released on Elefant Records in 2006.

This is the first time the band’s going to work under the supervision of a producer, apart from the collaboration with Stuart Murdoch on the “Eighties fan” single: the chosen man this time has been Swedish producer Jari Haapalainen, whose CV includes previous work with Ed Harcourt and, especially, with Swedish band THE CONCRETES (with whom he also works as a satellite musician; in fact, Haapalainen keeps a side-project, named HEIKKI, along with Maria Eriksson from THE CONCRETES). A great choice for CAMERA OBSCURA, indeed, considering his excellent work with the Swedish band. [ Read more ]

Japanese label Rambling Records, which released in Japan NIZA’s “Canciones de temporada”, is well known and respected by its excellent editions of soundtracks (of such geniuses as Ennio Morricone), as well as deluxe compilations in diverse styles as easy listening or international pop. In fact, Rambling has used plenty times many songs from the Elefant catalogue for its compilations.

Since last year, Elefant and Rambling have started a collaboration which reflects in a series of compilations based in songs taken from Elefant’s big catalogue, chosen by both Rambling Records and ourselves. In 2004 came out “Amapola”, a compilation of quiet, relaxed atmosphere, which was very well received in Japan. In july this year, making the most of our visit to Japan for the Elefant parties with NIZA and LA CASA AZUL, Rambling will release a new reference on this series of compilations: “Candy Box”, in a much poppier and melodic style.

The tracklists from both compilations are as follow:

CANDY BOX01. Si me alejaste [ENTRE RÍOS]02. I love my Jean [CAMERA OBSCURA]03. Ups to you [ANNA & THE SPECTORS]04. Parasol [NIZA]05. Una mañana [ME ENVENENO DE AZULES]06. Yo quiero ser ye yé [ERNESTO RONCHEL y ANA CAINA]07. Niza [NIZA]08. No me digas que me quieres [VACACIONES]09. Un rayo de sol [LE MANS]10. C’est fini [LA CASA AZUL]11. La fille la plus douce du monde [LES TRÈS BIEN ENSEMBLE]12. Gérôme [PUR&Ea [ Read more ]

Last year, Taiwanese label Avant Garden Records released several selected record from Elefant’s recent catalogue: “Satélite 99” by Ana D (in a similar edition to that released by Argentinian label Índice Virgen some years ago, featuring extra songs from the live album Grimsey Records released in the States), “Idioma suave” by ENTRE RÍOS, “Popemas” by NOSOTRÄSH, “Canciones de temporada” by NIZA, “Underachievers please try harder” by CAMERA OBSCURA…

The results of this collaboration has proved very satisfactory for all the parties involved, and it’s going ahead now with new releases from our catalogue in Taiwan. Next july, Avant Garden will release there “Cierra la puerta al salir” by NOSOTRÄSH (with the addition of the videoclip for the song “Dando vueltas”) and “Onda” by ENTRE RÍOS, also with a video and two extra tracks: “Si fuimos” (song taken from the “This is my country” compilation, formerly released on the Jabalina label) and “Por ti”, one of the first songs ever composed by the Buenos Aires trio, previously released on the first vinyl single the band did on Elefant.

The exchange between Elefant and Avant Garden isn’t over yet. Later on in time, our Taiwanese friends plan to release a compilation by NIZA, which will include songs from their singles, unreleased tracks, live takes [ Read more ]

Revista 69, a Peruvian magazine dedicated to independent music, will give Hawai its readers along with the June issue an exclusive CD, “Como un fan”, featuring twenty-four songs taken from the Elefant Records catalogue. An excellent introduction into our label for the Peruvian fans, given away inside a magazine which has dedicated its two alternative covers (they’ve got no back cover) to Beck and NEW ORDER, and which also includes on this issue other interviews, articles and reviews on such artists as LOS BELKING’S, Rufus Wainwright, THE ARCADE FIRE, Daniel Melero, KINGS OF CONVENIENCE or Juana Molina.The website of Perú’s Revista 69 is http://www.revista69.comThe tracklist for this CD is as follows:

01 El bello verano [FAMILY]02 Rimas [ENTRE RÍOS]03 Canción de si tú me quieres [LE MANS]04 Los amantes [ANA D]05 Amor cúbico [NIZA]06 Honey [SINGLE]07 Keep it clean [CAMERA OBSCURA]08 Cierra los ojos [COOPER]09 Poppy girl [VACACIONES]10 Lady Dilema [CARLOS BERLANGA]11 El sol no brillará nunca mas [LA CASA AZUL]12 The sea is so quiet [TREMBLING BLUE STARS]13 Sunday Sahara Spain [IBON ERRAZKIN]14 I love my Jean [CAMERA OBSCURA]15 Rabia [COOPER]16 À Hélène [LES TRES BIEN ENSEMBLE]17 Tantas cosas que arreglar [LA CASA AZUL]18 Volverás [JUNIPER MOON]19 Open Skies [TREMBLING BLUE STARS]20 Los días de Perky Pat [LA MONJA ENANA]21 Paradise lost [METRO]22 La balada de la primavera [L [ Read more ]

You all surely know “The Gilmore Girls”, and if you don’t you should get updated as son as posible, because you would be missing one of the best TV series that can be seen in the last years. Here at Elefant we’re big fans of Rory and Lorelai Gilmore, the sensible teenager and her lunatic mother who live in Stars Hollow, Connecticut. They always have some exquisite cultural reference (records, movies, books) with which they can explain the most varied situations in life, and their musical taste is excellent. It’s not strange, then, that the series soundtrack airs as web many songs that have a lot in common with what we offer from this record label: from the theme song by Carole King to songs by Claudine Longet, THE LA’s, THE MONKEES, Ric Menck from VELVET CRUSH, THE PERNICE BROTHERS or BELLE AND SEBASTIAN.And it fills us with pride and joy that, in one of our favourite series, they’ve cosen a song by one of our artists: “Suspended from class”, by CAMERA OBSCURA, is played on the chapter “Girls in bikinis, boys doin’ the twist”, of the series fourth season.

And now we’re talking about CAMERA OBSCURA and American TV series (the ones we end up watching sooner or later everywhere else in the world), another song by the Scots, “Keep it clean”, is aired on “The Shower”, a chapter on “The O.C.”, a youthful series about the relations and stories of a bunch of teenagers in [ Read more ]

“I love my Jean”, the new single by CAMERA OBSCURA, couldn’t have had a better start. In its first week, the single has jumped to the always difficult British indie singles list, the place where the world is looking at in search of information on what’s hot and what’s not in the independent music scene. CAMERA OBSCURA have gone up directly to number 28th on the March 27th issue of the British indie list, sharing space with BRITISH SEA POWER, BASEMENT JAXX, BRIGHT EYES, DIZZEE RASCAL or MERCURY REV.

Feedback from the British media to this single has been enthusiastical. Everything seems ready in the UK for the band to take off once their next album is out, again through Elefant Records worldwide.

Due to the release of “I love my Jean” in Great Britain, CAMERA OBSCURA have recorded two radio sessions for shows in BBC Scotland: on friday March the 25th they recorded an acoustic version of “I love my Jean” for Fred Macaulay’s show, and on monday 28th they recorded three other tracks for the “Air” show on the same station. [ Read more ]

Three new, excellent songs by the Glaswegians, honouring this time the work of poet Robert Burns (1759-1796), considered to be Scotland´s national poet. Tracyanne Campbell has put to music with her musical flair two of Burns‚ poems ("I love my Jean" and "A red, red rose"), and has completed the tracklist with a jangly, country-ish, melancholy-tinged song of her own, "Marathon not a sprint". The three songs share though the quintessential CAMERA OBSCURA sound, with Tracyanne´s beautiful voice unveiling the melodies over a background formed by pianos and acoustic guitars, an example of timeless, classic beauty.

The single is also a posthumous tribute to BBC DJ John Peel, who helped and befriended the band since their first single.

ER-358 CAMERA OBSCURA “I love my Jean” CD-Single01. I love my Jean02. Marathon not a sprint03. A red, red rose

ER-246 CAMERA OBSCURA “I love my Jean” Single01. I love my Jean02. Marathon not a sprint03. A red, red rose

Release date: 28th of February [2005] [ Read more ]

CAMERA OBSCURA will travel in a lightning visit to Spain in order to attend the Southpop Festival, due in Seville next March 18 and 19, where they will share the bill with such artists as LALI PUNA and THE MONTGOLFIER BROTHERS, amongst others. The band from Glasgow is scheduled to play on the second day of the festival, and they will bring play live the three songs on "I love my Jean", their new single dedicated to Scottish national poet Robert Burns. This show will be as well one of the first shows they will play without founder member John Henderson, who has recently left the band´s line-up.

We are also looking forward to the new videoclip of the song "I love my Jean", the title track on the new single, which will be once again directed by Blair Young.

In the meantime, the band is playing on new songs to be included on their forthcoming third album, due to be recorded during the summer and which will be released on Elefant Records before the end of the year.

Saturday, 19South Pop Festival[I Festival Independiente Ciudad de Sevilla]Camera ObscuraSevilla19:00 h, Teatro AlamedaCrédito 11 [Alameda de Hércules]+ Info: www.greenufos.com/southpop

Saturday, 19Afterparty South Pop Festival[I Festival Independiente Ciudad de Sevilla]Dj PolarSevilla01:30-04:30 h, Sala Fun Club+ Info: www.greenufos.com/southpop [ Read more ]

Popland and Cinemaspop are two stores (actually three, because Popland has two different premises) from the Malasaña area in Madrid, but they both provide half Spain and abroad with aesthetic pleasures. In Popland, an enormous variety of accessories, garnishing, furniture, records and pop memorabilia on the whole can be found, whereas in Cinemaspop, pop culture comes on the top of movie going and cinema love. Two colouristic concepts with a passionate interest for pop’s different sides, that were to meet Elefant Records’ music.

Both stores have just released the album "Popland 25 hit parade", including that number of successful songs from Elefant Records catalogue: COOPER, LA CASA AZUL, CAMERA OBSCURA, BERLANGA, LE MANS, HEAVENLY or JUNIPER MOON, among others, playing the perfect soundtrack to the lush aesthetic of this retro consumption’s paradise.

01. Cerca del sol (COOPER)02. Una mañana (ME ENVENENO DE AZULES)03. Amor cúbico (NIZA)04. Cherry people (SHIZUKA)05. Cerca de Shibuya (LA CASA AZUL)06. Vacaciones (Carlos Berlanga)07. Superdisco (Naomi Mix) (LES FRÈRES CHECKOLADE)08. Ride the tiger (ANTI)09. Salven las sirenas (ENTRE RÍOS)10. Vamos a caminar (CIELO)11. Keep it clean (CAMERA OBSCURA)12. Los amantes (Ana D)13. Dame estrellas o limones (FAMILY)14. Vacaciones (GASCA)15. Un rayo de sol (LE MANS)16. Space manatee (HEAVENLY)17. Madrid (JUNIPER MOON)18. Watch over you (AUTOMATICS)19. Roll with it (MOGUL)20. Oh [ Read more ]