Elbow (21+)

Boston-born and now New-York-City-based, the sonically innovative pop-rock unit Raavi has made constant reinvention the common thread across their prolific five-plus years of making music together. Led by singer-songwriter and guitarist Raavi Sita, the quartet’s releases trace a progression between fresh processes and daring stylistic pivots. Their work is constantly in dialogue with the music communities surrounding them, initially reflecting Sita’s musical upbringing at indie house shows. The massive guitars and emo-adjacent catharsis that runs through the band’s previous discography—from their 2018 debut EP i miss you already to their 2019 debut album Don’t Hit Me Up to their EPs and singles of the 2020s—points back to their DIY roots. However, Sita’s clear melodicism and disciplined songforms have always also been shaded by the influence of vintage singer-songwriters. The band’s new release, the The Upside EP, overlaps with the latter tradition more directly than anything they have done before. With fewer plugged-in sounds, it marks a left turn from the guitar-rock edifices that Raavi fans are used to. However, Sita’s candid and restrained songwriting on The Upside makes it an essential listen for both devotees and newcomers.