Five years ago, my ear was caught by the debut album from Sweden’s Echo Ladies. Pink Noise was a sweeping love letter to that synth driven eighties alternative sound. The band, in part, take their name from the debunked theory that Echo and the Bunnymen had a drum machine named Echo. I still have this album on regular rotation here in the clubhouse, in particular the song ‘Bedroom’ holds a dear place in my heart. Imagine my joy when I discovered Echo Ladies were back!
Echo Ladies are Matilda Botwid, Mattis Andersson and Joar Andersén. They are set to release their new album, Lillies, into the world and I wanted to know what they had in store for us. The band had this to say on the subject.
“While our past material conveyed feelings of nostalgia and hope for the future mixed with worries and anxieties about defining who you are and what you will become, Lillies instead tries to balance the emotions of sorrow and loneliness, with anger, frustration, and the determination to make a change for the better. This album really carries the Echo Ladies mantra that ‘Nothing Ever Lasts’—good things can come to an end, but bad things will also pass.”
Ok, I’m sold. Let’s drop the needle and dive in.
The album opens on the gentle sway of ‘Fabrik’. Immediately I’m struck by the crystal clarity of the production. Botwid’s vocals especially leap out the speakers. The sound is unmistakably Echo Ladies though. and I’m in love all over again. Bass and Synths working sympathetically and emphatically driving the song forward. It’s a strong opener and gets the listener locked in early.
‘Selfcontrol’ contrasts minimal chiming lead guitar with an assured and laid back vocal. Drums are on point with a nice reverse snare sound punctuating the track. Bass looms large with a melody mirroring the vocal in the closing passages making both more impactful.
Casting her eye back on her wild youth in ‘Dirty Dancing’ Botwid’s opening line sets the tone. “You are not only my sweetest memory. You’re definitely my darkest story”. It’s a bitter sweet tale of longing for the excitement of youth tempered by time. It’s a sparsely arranged number with lots of space for the melody to inhabit. Is it a callback to the 80’s classic movie? I’ll let you decide.
‘Coming Home’ arrives all anxious and uptight. Shrill feedback leads us into a claustrophobic, tightly constructed verse. Its when that furious chorus erupts it feels like the song is set free and it soars. That give and take throughout the song is really powerful and hooks you in.
It’s at this point in the album that Echo Ladies decide to play their ace card. The title track is something completely different for the band. Its part new romantic, part dream pop and then it finally reveals itself as a gloriously theatrical pop song. It even has a key change. It took me by surprise the first time I heard it and I’ve been smitten ever since. I haven’t heard anything like it since The Capsules track ‘Play’ on the Static Waves compilations. I love it when bands try something different and it pays off. It’s without doubt my album stand out track.
‘Getting On Me’ gets us back in to familiar territory. That static laced wall of sound is back and we are thundering along. This album hasn’t let the quality drop for one second and this is no exception. It’s wash of guitars and synths provides a platform for the catchiest melody. I can see this being a live favourite. The energy is off the scale!
Single ‘Awake’ provides us a musical thread leading back to Pink Noise. This is the song sibling to ‘Bedroom’. An older and more sophisticated sibling. First off, that guitar riff is killer, just killer. It bears all the hallmarks of a great Echo Ladies song. When that chorus appears though, well, that’s something else entirely. Am I sensing a Talking Heads influence? Whatever it is, it’s massive sounding. ‘Awake’ is an incredibly dynamic song, just check out how they use the bass. How tightly wound the verses are against the wide-open choral sound of the chorus. It’s an absolute stunner!
‘Illness’ really makes the bass earn its money. Dancing around, never letting up. The guitar like a fly in a jar buzzing furiously. Drums making double time and keeping everyone on their toes. This is a dancefloor filler and will be blasting out at a club near you soon.
As if sensing the impending end of the album the band rage on into the night with another slice of dream pop perfection. ‘Strangers’ amps up that Echo Ladies sound to the max. Absolutely no quarter is given as they tear through this blissed out banger.
The end must come however and this album closes on a sombre note with ‘Funeral’. Whilst the pace has dropped this song has all the attention to detail, all the finely tuned textures and heartfelt delivery that has characterised every single song on Lilies. They play with the dark and light like an artist painting a moonlit scene. Some parts of the song in sharp relief while others sparse and gloomy. It’s a bold finish to an equally bold album.
In Lilies Echo Ladies certainly haven’t reinvented the wheel but, by god, they have evolved it. The seismic shift in production values from Pink Noise to Lilies hits you immediately. The attention to quality control and songwriting is apparent throughout. Never losing your attention for a moment. My biggest takeaway from Lilies is that Echo ladies haven’t forgotten who they are and have leant into what we love about their sound and amplified it. This album shows a band who have honed their skills and are loving every minute of playing for us. If you loved Pink Noise, you are in for an absolute treat.
Lilies is out on 8th September 2023 on Rama Lama Records and Gazehop Records. It’s available on different vinyl variants depending on where you are in the world as well as on CD. Check out Echo Ladies Bandcamp to find out more.
You can follow Echo Ladies on social media here …
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