It’s always fun discovering a new genre. Today it’s the turn of sophisti-pop. Quite what sets sophisiti-pop apart from other genres is still a bit of a mystery. But it’s the genre of choice for Elrichman, the project of Paul Erlichman, the creator of “Cop On A Horse”, our Track of the Day.
The new single follows the announcement of a new album, Heaven’s Mayor, which is set for release in late April through Bobo Integral. This will be Elrichman’s first release since 2014’s Young, Healthy and Wonderful. It also follows the Toronto-based artists work as part of Goosebump and Ducks Unlimited. The new album features a hose of Toronto talent and sees Elrichman grappling with themes of consumer consumption and how to remain true to oneself.
“Cop On A Horse” holds no pretensions of deep introspection. Elrichman describes it is a “song about nothing”. Indeed, it’s playfully surreal, telling a narrative from the perspective of a cop, a horse, and then a phone. It’s something of a bizarre set-up, but delivered with real charm and warmth, thanks in part to it’s wonky-folk aesthetic and the inclusion of a string quartet. Even Elrichman’s description of the track has a charming oddness to it:
“In Toronto you’ll see man, horse, and phone working together to patrol the city’s streets. The cops will take horses out for walks, strolling down the bike lanes. I suppose they keep them around for crowd control purposes, and they project a gentler image because people like the horsies. I do too.”
Sit back and let yourself to be transported to a wonky Toronto. Where cops, horses and phones regularly interact.
“Cop On A Horse” is available now. Heaven’s Mayor releases April 24th via Bobo Integral. You can pre-order the album HERE. Keep up to date with Elrichman via Facebook and Instagram.
Header Photo: Chelsee Ivan
