Elephant Gym

Elephant Gym (Chinese: 大象體操) is a math rock band from Kaohsiung, Taiwan founded in February 2012. The group consists of siblings KT Chang (bass) and Tell Chang (guitar), and drummer Chia-Chin Tu. The word "elephant" in the band name symbolizes their bass-driven melodies, and "gym" refers to their agile and irregular rhythms.[1]

Elephant Gym
OriginKaohsiung, Taiwan
GenresMath rock
Years active2012–present
LabelsTopshelf
Members
  • KT Chang
  • Tell Chang
  • Chia-Chin Tu
Chinese name
Traditional Chinese大象體操

History

Formation, Balance EP, Angle and hiatus (2014-2016)

As children, KT and Tell Chang were trained in classical music by their mother, while Chia-chin Tu learned classical percussion. After the siblings met Tu at a music club in high school, the trio formed Elephant Gym in February 2012[2], hand-produced a limited edition EP, and toured Taiwan on the single "Ordinary Route" (later released on their album Angle). On May 8th, 2013 the band released Balance, their first EP, which included the song "Ocean in the Night" which was produced in collaboration with Hong-shen Hong, the lead singer of indie band Touming Magazine. In 2014, they collaborated with Yoga Lin on a song, "Speaking in Tongues"[1], which they performed with him in Hung Hom, Hong Kong and at the Taipei Arena.

In June 2014, their debut album Angle was released, with singles featuring Panai Kusui and Enno Cheng. In December 2014, the group members announced a year long hiatus due to Taiwanese compulsory military service, and held a performance entitled See You Then in addition to a short documentary of the same name.[3][4]

Post-hiatus: Work EP and Underwater (2016-present)

In August 2016, their earlier work Angle was released in Japan and the group was invited to participate in the Summer Sonic Festival[5] The group released their second EP Work in October 2016, followed by a tour of Taiwan in small venues. In June 2017, the group was invited to Tokyo to play with American math rock band The Fall of Troy and special guest Hikes. The band played in the Megaport Music Festival in 2018.[6]

In November of 2018, they released their second full-length album Underwater followed by a world tour, which included a performance at SXSW[7] and a live session at Audiotree[8]. In August 2019, they performed at the ArcTanGent Festival [9]. They released a single, "Gaze at Blue," on October 18, 2019[10].

Awards
Year Award Category Recipients Result Ref.
2013 4th Golden Indie Music Awards Best New Band Balance Nominated [11]
2014 5th Golden Indie Music Awards Best Style Category Album Angle Won [12][13][14]
Best Album Angle Nominated
Best Band Elephant Gym Nominated
Best Musician KT Chang (張凱婷), bass Nominated
Best Musician Chia-chin Tu (涂嘉欽), drums Nominated
Best Rock Single "Whistle" Nominated
Best Jazz Single "Body" Nominated
Best Style Category Single "Games" Nominated
2017 8th Golden Indie Music Awards Best Style Category Single "Spring Rain" Nominated [15]
2019 10th Golden Indie Music Awards Best Band Elephant Gym Won [16][17]
Best Album Underwater Nominated
Best Musician KT Chang (張凱婷), bass and synthesizer Nominated
Best Rock Single "Underwater" Nominated
Best World Music Album Underwater Nominated
Best World Music Single "Half" Nominated

Discography

Studio albums
  • Balance EP (2013)
  • Angle (2014)
  • Work EP (2016)
  • Underwater (2018)

Singles
  • Gaze at Blue (2019)
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References
  1. Chan, Boon (September 20, 2017). "Taiwan's Elephant Gym say audiences are learning to love their math rock". The Straits Times. Retrieved October 8, 2019.
  2. "Top Shelf Records, Elephant Gym Roster".
  3. "SEE YOU THEN Official Short Documentary".
  4. "Taiwan's Elephant Gym bring back bass-driven math rock". South China Morning Post. August 14, 2014. Retrieved October 8, 2019.
  5. "SUMMER SONIC 2016 LINE UP".
  6. "Taiwan math rock band Elephant Gym release multi-cam live video from Megaport Festival".
  7. "SXSW 2019 Schedule".
  8. "Elephant Gym -- Audiotree".
  9. "Elephant Gym to perform at ArcTanGent Festival with Coheed and Cambria, Polyphia, Meshuggah, and more".
  10. "Elephant Gym". Bandcamp.
  11. "第4屆金音創作獎入圍名單" [4th Golden Indie Awards Nominees]. Ministry of Culture, Taiwan. October 28, 2013. Retrieved May 28, 2020.
  12. "第4屆金音創作獎入圍名單" [5th Golden Indie Awards Nominees]. Ministry of Culture, Taiwan. October 14, 2014. Retrieved May 28, 2020.
  13. "第5屆金音創作獎得獎名單" [5th Golden Indie Awards Winners]. Ministry of Culture, Taiwan. December 6, 2014. Retrieved May 28, 2020.
  14. "Taiwan, Malaysia musicians to hold joint bash in Kuala Lumpur". Central News Agency. August 20, 2019. Retrieved October 8, 2019.
  15. "第8屆金音創作獎入圍名單" [8th Golden Indie Awards Nominees]. Ministry of Culture, Taiwan. September 26, 2017. Retrieved May 28, 2020.
  16. "第10屆金音創作獎入圍名單" [10th Golden Indie Awards Nominees]. Ministry of Culture, Taiwan. October 3, 2019. Retrieved May 28, 2020.
  17. "金音獎完整得獎名單" [Golden Indie Awards Winners]. Central News Agency. November 17, 2019. Retrieved May 28, 2020.
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