With a sound that’s reminiscent of Daughter, Of Monsters and Men, and Brand New, it’s not difficult to see why Cardiff quintet The Echo and The Always have had a fruitful career since their inception in 2012. Over the years, they’ve stormed the Welsh music scene, playing at festivals such as Focus Wales, Gwyl Pil Pala Festival, Swn Festival, and Green Man. And now, they’re proudly presenting their debut album ‘…And After That the Dark’,
‘Antiquity’ bursts into life when the chorus kicks in; Laura Hancock uses her vocals to full capacity, and the track is fleshed out with dark, haunting riffs. It’s an absolute standout on this delightful release. A killer chorus is present in ‘Go Easy’, a track laden with slick riffs and steady, confident drum work.
Laura’s bright and breezy vocals are phenomenal, and really elevate tracks such as ‘History of Trees’ and ‘Go Easy’. What’s interesting about this album is how quickly and easily they shift from tracks that are dark and sombre, to ones that are more poppy and bright. ‘History of Trees’ is one such track that is haunting – lyrics such as “I feel the weather take its toll” and “I watch them fall, I watch them die” are dark and tinged with sadness. The layering of synths and distorted male vocals in the background make it more disorientating and eerie. And then, on the opposite end of the spectrum, there’s ‘Deep Breath’, a fun and quirky track that sees its roots firmly embedded within the pop side. Laura’s vocals are breathy, yet are still strong, supported with crashing riffs.
What The Echo and The Always have created in ‘…And After That the Dark’ is a promising album, one that is ripe with potential and extraordinary talent. Laura’s vocals are unique and stand out from a market that can be saturated with female vocalists that all sound too similar. Their use of trumpets and keys to create their heady mix of indie pop-punk will make them a firm favourite across the country, and hopefully soon.
JESS TAGLIANI