Elephant Castle - the retro-inspired indie rock project from Los Angeles-based singer and multi-instrumentalist Phil Danyew, formed in late 2019. The first single, “Cool To Be Unhappy,” was released on March 27, 2020 with warm welcome. A fresh take on the break-up ballad, Rolling Stone called the track a "roll-around-in-your-underwear-while-the-sun-seeps-through-the-window song.” Elephant Castle released four subsequent singles with enthusiastic buzz.
In 2021, Elephant Castle released four more singles, including “French Food,” a cheeky daydream about fine dining after living in isolation for a year. The track was featured in season two of Apple TV’s The Morning Show. “Quicksand,” their first release of 2022, summons quirky piano, 60s organ, and a care-free beat to present an unsuitably chirpy track about people who pull you down.
Raised in San Diego, CA, Danyew has been writing and recording music since age 12 after stealing his father’s tape recorder. Growing up listening to 50s and 60s oldies, Elephant Castle is a response to these early influences combined with a love for vintage synths, layered vocals, the dreamy sounds of tape saturation, and analog gear.
Danyew spent six years as a touring member of the band Foster the People. He left at the beginning of 2020 to pursue his own music.
