ECHOGLASS
“One Breath From Death”
By Mike O’Cull www.mikeocull.com
The Northwest of England’s Echoglass continues its climb to indie pop greatness with a brand new single and music video, “One Breath From Death,” that will be released on July 16th, 2020. Working from Blackburn, Lancashire, the group has forged a continually evolving British pop sound that has its roots in its region’s defining artists, a list that would include Ian Curtis, The Beatles, Oasis, and Morrissey, but also explodes into its own original space in the modern era. “One Breath From Death” proves yet again that Echoglass is playing in the same league as its influences and packs the skills and sensibilities needed to become a breakout success.
Echoglass members D.A. McKenna, Remmy, and Bo have been together since 2016, when they first bonded over a shared love of music, fine dining, alcohol, and fashion. In that time, the three have found a loyal audience for the pop/shoegaze/indie stylings and have racked up hundreds of thousands of streams on Spotify and YouTube. “One Breath From Death” will undoubtedly raise those numbers quite a bit. It’s a mid-tempo track with an insistent beat, smooth low-toned vocals, and a darkly melodic vibe that’s timeless and irresistible. Smoky, mysterious, and alluring, it’s quite possibly the finest Echoglass offering to date and balances perfectly between indie darkness and hit-single accessibility.
The track’s arrangement and production are both strategically minimal, which is a refreshing approach that keeps the listener 's attention squarely on McKenna’s compelling baritone voice and lyrics. Bass, drums, and synth pads do most of the heavy lifting and are brilliantly captured. It’s really an incredible cut that delivers proper post-punk angst coupled with an almost Bowie-esque radio friendliness, which should make for an unbeatable combination. In any case, Echoglass clearly needs to be included in all discussions of U.K. up-and-comers and is expanding its artistry before us all in real time. Fans of emotive and exquisitely intelligent pop/rock are going to absolutely flip for this one.
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