
Often, I feel like music is a portal way into comprehension. Sometimes it sounds like a conversation, where another’s words and experience touch and inspire. At other times, a song feels like peeking into someone else’s inner monologue, almost like entries lifted out of a personal journal. To a listener, music can feel like a journey outside themselves. To an artist, music is a process of development, whereby they peer inside themselves over the course of time and see what rises to the surface.
In the days before the release of his debut LP, Beneath My Skin, I had the opportunity to speak with Elmar, aka Jack Froggatt, about his new solo project. Jack has been making music professionally for ten years already and is part of the prolific Australian indie-electronic trio Mansionair. Things are going terrifically for Mansionair, their best music is still yet to come. Perhaps that’s one of the reasons Jack decided to launch this Elmar project, the unwavering support of his bandmates in further developing his own set of talents. Ideas and inspirations for Elmar have been trickling forward over the course of the past several years. Whereas Mansionair is a collaboration of multiple visions, Elmar is singularly Jack’s (though co-produced by friend and long-time collaborator, Ross James) and has taken form through various solo writing sessions over the past three years.
One of the things that jumped out at me about this album, besides the marriage between acoustic beats and earthly melodies, was Jack’s beautiful voice and the authenticity of his lyrics. Tracks like ‘At Your Feet’ and ‘Hold On’ feel like they’re from, and aimed at the heart. In respect to the lyrics, Jack shared this thought. “I think after making music professionally for ten years, pursuing big dreams, Elmar was this thing that… I finally let my guard down, and by doing that I think I wrote lyrics that I probably felt I [ordinarily] couldn’t get away with. Because they’re real.”

The fifth track from the album, ‘At Your Feet’, counts as my favorite. It begins with a gentle atmospheric scanning before Jack’s gentle voice begins to whisper. One of the reasons this song resonates with me so much is I’m romantic at heart. I can’t help myself in this matter, and I often find myself thinking about concepts and definitions of love. Most see love as an emotion that develops from nothing, which it certainly can and does, but it’s also a choice that people actively make to keep investing themselves and their energy in a loved one. As I listened to ‘At Your Feet’, I felt like this concept was at its center. Let’s analyze some of these lyrics before gaining clarity from Elmar on his intentions.
“Caught in the flick of the light // The pull of your tide // Can you see that I’ve // been trying, you and I // Hold me, I’m pushing aside // This feeling of pride // Wanna lay it on the line // Cause I found love, found love, found love.”
This beginning portion feels like a conversation contributed to a lover, where the speaker is confiding that they’ll set aside their pride, and lay themselves on the line in pursuit of this love. Vulnerability. No matter the awkwardness, difficulty, or missteps that may arise, a pure love found is worth admitting our faults over and working towards something greater than a stand-alone complex. The chorus punctuates this idea that when we find someone whose love feels like home, we should pursue them to the fullest lengths of our capabilities. Maybe this song is about forming an honest and loyal connection capable of lasting throughout this lifetime.
“Wait up, send a call for me // See me crawling at your feet // Cause I found love, found love, found love // At your feet // At your feet.”
Elmar had this to say about the meaning behind, ‘At Your Feet’. “It’s a song approaching a love in your life, admitting faults. I’m trying, and I’m gonna keep trying. I’m gonna keep pouring love… It’s maybe a celebration of finding a love that feels like you can be human, you can make mistakes.”
Staying on the topic of love, a song like ‘Your Love is Changing Me’ encourages listeners to ponder upon it for a bit. Love can change a person in many ways: spiritually, emotionally, mentally, physically. When I asked Elmar to expand on the song’s meaning, he delivered. “I think this song to me is more questions than answers, but I think this idea is [about] rocking the boat. ‘Whoa, what’s happening here? Am I shaking off old skins? Am I evolving, am I growing? Am I doing it right?’ These were the questions I was asking in this song. It’s not a literal song, lyrically. It’s quite oblique, in a way.” Even though the song’s title and chorus sound relatively straight forward, one can imagine all the ways love can influence and inspire a person’s changing.
‘Hold On’ is a hopeful tune, encouraging perseverance when times are tough. Take this snippet of lyrics. “If you can hold on // I’ll be your someone // If you can stand strong // This pain won’t last long.” I asked Elmar for some insight into what his intention was with ‘Hold On’ and whether he was trying to share a propitious viewpoint with his audience. He shared, “Honestly, I was just trying to give hope to myself. This song is admitting there is hope, but it’s also okay to acknowledge that sometimes things are difficult.”
A necessary confession, indeed. We don’t always give ourselves honesty in admitting that circumstances are beyond our control. In these instances, you’ve just gotta go through it with the belief that it’ll get better, eventually. ‘Hold On’ is a song lyrically that’s maybe intended to be heard at a certain moment, when a listener needs a reminder to remain optimistic through tough times. Sometimes, gentle words from someone outside ourselves, even a song received under arduous circumstances, is the motivation we need to keep moving forward.
Beyond these three tracks, this album is a soothing reference towards much of what Elmar finds peace within. His love for the ocean and sea, and nature as a sanctuary, forms the backdrop for beautiful soundscapes that invite listeners to bask in their tranquility (‘Green Cathedral’). Elmar’s vocal range impresses through lyrics rippling with self-reflection. In his words, “I really allowed the lyrics to reveal themselves over the course of time.” Perhaps that’s the real challenge, focusing less on the outcome and more on the process, those elements that fall within our control. Wade into the water and go with the flow, enabling our mindsets and thoughts to filter into healthier spaces. In managing the influence of external and internal factors, we discover new things about ourselves to continue our journey’s progression, all within the due course of time.

Elmar invites you to escape and unwind, to slow down your pace with Beneath My Skin. Whatever happens today, a new day will come tomorrow. Find peace, pursue love, believe in hope, and appreciate the people and places you spend time around, and within. Beneath My Skin is available on all major streaming platforms like Apple Music, SoundCloud, and Spotify.
We’ve reached the finality of this episode. I’d like to thank Jack for his wonderful insights, and I wish him well in all his musical endeavors going forward. Plus, congratulations on married life, my guy. This is Bear Swiftly, the Electro Scribe, signing off. Sayonara, all you Samurai.
Be well, be successful. Bear Swiftly.
–Electro Scribe–