Marios “Maz” Loizou, the multi-instrumentalist at the helm of The Elegant Chasers, returns with ‘To Live In Colour’, his sophomore album. The record builds on introspective themes, tackling personal trials, societal unrest, and dreams of unity. With the addition of drummer Lloyd Pritchard and his daughters Penny and Phoebe on backing vocals, this is a collaborative project.
Drawing on influences ranging from Living Colour to Depeche Mode, Foo Fighters, and Alice In Chains, the artist blends grunge, alternative rock, and acoustic elements. The result is an album that explores despair while radiating hope.
It opens with “Cruel Agenda”, which immediately hits hard with powerful guitar riffs and pounding drums. The effects on the vocals blend really well with the instrumentation and there’s a hypnotic, psychedelic vibe in the guitar as the song progresses. It’s a bit heavy for my taste, with a lot happening at once, but the production keeps it interesting, especially when the guitar takes over.
The title track, “To Live In Colour”, is amazing. I loved the stereo-separated intro – hearing the music come from just one side and then the other makes it a great experience with headphones. The track feels powerful and catchy but also leaves room for the instruments to shine, which I appreciated. It’s not as heavy as the opener, so it’s easier to enjoy and definitely one of my favorites.
Then, “Cracks In The Soul” feels like a full-on indie rock song with brit-pop vibes. It’s warm and heartfelt and I liked the echo effect on the vocals, which definitely adds something to the song. As usual, the production is clean and enjoyable.
Later on, we have “My Medicine”, which is one of those tracks where you wonder if it’s the vocals or the instrumentation that’s drawing you in. Here, they blend together beautifully from the start. The calm section midway through builds anticipation and leads to a climax, a cathartic release, at the end of the song.
“Regretamine” has such a cool title and the track is pure grunge energy. The repetitive “Regrets, regrets, regrets” at the start makes it feel like a mantra and it pulls you in instantly. The song is short compared to the others (less than three minutes) but it’s intense.
Afterward, we have “Anhedonia Mountain”, which is quieter and more acoustic, which I loved. It feels like a much-needed break in the middle of the album. The guitar work is fantastic and I didn’t even mind that it’s instrumental-only. It shows a different side of the artist.
The album ends with “We Fade Away”, a seven-minute epic. I’ll admit, I was worried about the length at first but it’s so well-balanced between electrifying, powerful moments and quieter ones. In other words, it’s a great mix of vocals and instruments.
With this new album, The Elegant Chasers delves into his past, present, and future with honesty. From heavy, grungy anthems to quieter, introspective moments, the album offers variety for everyone to enjoy.
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