TRACK-BY-TRACK: CLOVR TAKES US THROUGH 'PAPER ELEPHANTS'

paper elephants is out now!

Image: Supplied.

Meanjin/Brisbane-based producer Clovr has unveiled his debut album, paper elephants. To celebrate the release, he's taking us through the collection of songs track-by-track...

A decade in the making, paper elephants is my longform journal of chaos, glowups, heartbreaks, and latenight breakthroughs.  

It traces the sliding-door moments that shaped me - from bedroom producer experiments to DJ booth epiphanies. No single genre could hold the story, so I stopped trying. Instead, I built a journey that carries emotional weight without losing its pulse.

This record is the promise I made to myself ten years ago: to create something that might inspire the next wave of electronic artists the way my heroes inspired me.

If you listen closely, you’ll hear the evolution - the mistakes, the breakthroughs, the scars, the triumphs - all stitched into sound. 

UNTIL WE MEET AGAIN

A slow-burning opener built for live shows that accidentally became the album’s thesis statement. No drums, no drop - just tension, atmosphere, and the feeling that something big is about to happen. A doorway, not a destination. 

PIT VIPER

Fast, snappy, venomous - my take on the DnB wave that took over a few years back. The final version survived years of re-arranging and tempo induced identity crises. 

FRIENDS (W/AMELA)

The emotional core of the album. A song about the emptiness of “can we just be friends”, and the moment I rebuilt my standards from the ground up. Written during the lowest point of my life - burnout, debt, heartbreak, and a double life of smiling in public while everything collapsed behind the scenes. With the help of Liam Quinn, Amela’s voice turned a backlog demo into a lifeline.

IN MY ARMS (FIND LOVE)

A lockdown baby. Funk, house, and Flume step DNA wrapped into a bedroom procrastination anthem. Soft, warm, nostalgic - the calm before the chaos.

GET SUM

My first Brisbane track - born from the 135BPM hyperhouse wave circa 2023 (Salute, Glimji, the whole underground swell). Started as hyper house, ended up flirting with UKG. A relocation anthem with a new city heartbeat.

LET ME GO

Originally meant as a “bridge track,” but it grew wings. UKG-leaning, emotional, and triumphant - the sound of stepping into a new era. A turning point moment disguised as a groove.

PAPER ELEPHANT (RUN TUNE)

A beer-in-hand festival weapon. High energy, bouncy, and inspired by the Sammy Virji global takeover - but still unmistakably mine.

COMPLICATED (W/SAM ATLAST)

The funnest collaboration - Sam’s unique sound brought life into this bouncy, emotional, hyper-house summer anthem. 

CLOSER

A beach day detour with a pulse. After several versions through a Euro-trip, I stripped it back to something more emotional without losing the movement. A windows down, salt-in-the-air moment. 

02-Ò1. Int§rlµdæ  

Part 2, the “start again” intro. The album splits here - like a Star Wars prequel moment - revealing the roots, the early experiments, and the origin story. Honestly, you could start the album from here and get the lore first.

BRIGHT

Grimy, snappy, bass heavy - a nod to Skrillex textures with my own twist. My girlfriend insists it should be called “The Coyote Ugly” song

FU X

Originally a sprawling, wonky synth experiment - eventually distilled into a weird, percussive spacer track that keeps the album moving. A palate cleanser with attitude.

WANT IT LESS

Written in 2016, resurrected in 2025. A future bass relic from my early days - bad mixes, great ideas. I rebuilt it so the story could continue properly.

COLD (W/AMELA)

Created at 301 Studios in 2017 - the first time I met Amela and Owen Butcher. One of the earliest tracks that made me feel like I could actually do this. A foundational moment for the whole album.

SAY SO

Born during a 1:1 writing camp with Jack Prest at 301 Studios in 2019. I brought half finished ideas and a ridiculous amount of energy - this track helped shape the album’s emotional backbone.

YOUR LOVE

Written in the same session as say so, mastered by Leon Zervos. It never saw daylight in 2019 - right as I started spiralling and the seeds of “Friends” were planted. Now it finally gets the moment it deserved.

paper elephants is out now.