Formed in 2016 and hailing from the former mill town of Blackburn, Lancashire, Echoglass is a band with a diverse and eclectic set of influences. With a heritage built on the longstanding and lauded music scene of the North West of England, Echoglass take lead from the likes of Shaun Ryder, Ian Curtis, Pete Shelley, Gary Aspden, The Beatles, Oasis, Mark E. Smith, and Morrissey, taking elements of their sounds to forge their own.
Fiercely independent, the band cut their teeth busking and doing time with a series of unsavoury professions, doing what they needed to so that they could feed their need for exquisite dining, fine alcohol, casual terrace wear and Spezial things. After releasing their debut single in 2017, the band seemed to have struck upon a high, and they quickly followed the release with a sophomore single in early 2018, and a well-received four track EP that has earned over two-hundred-thousand streams on Spotify so far.
Now, the band are looking to capitalise on their blossoming success with the release of new single ‘Lonely’, their most ambitious and poignant single to date. An impressive single that has soared past ten-thousand streams since it’s release in late June, ‘Lonely’ has grown to become an essential and unblemished vision of their constantly evolving sound.
Coming into focus on a delicate wave of piano keys, ‘Lonely’ announces itself quietly, building itself through an equal measure of lingering tones and deafening silences, forging a subtle, but unambiguous melody. Pushed forward by the sweeping entrance of McKenna’s soulful vocals, the track builds a natural and perfectly placed sense of emotion, wrapping the listener in a deep fog of emotive intrigue. While the vocals urge the listener forward, there are subtle, moving changes in the music that perpetuates a steady rise and fall, building momentum and generating a lavish, tactile sound.
A controlled cry of muted trumpet that battles against distant harmonic vocals, and a steady, nuanced bassline, ‘Lonely’ offers a complete and wonderfully inescapable sound. Lyrically, the song deals with two young romantics who are ultimately driven apart by one’s ‘suffocating love’, detailing the narrative through a framework of eloquent expression and emotive wordplay. Capturing the pain and guilt of every break up, the song finds its heart in the interplay of sound and soul, offering sombre, tell-tale lines in each chorus like, “See the tears well in his eyes / see the pain burn in his chest / you caused this, she caused this / every moment bursts in flames”.
A dark ballad that holds firm to its more sonic leanings, ‘Lonely’ manages to bring about the same big, emotional responses while maintaining its own nuanced, and well cultivated character. Released alongside a stunning black-and-white video that further emphasises the nature of the track, its easy to see ‘Lonely’ as being one of Echoglass’ most complete, moving and impressive releases to date.
Score: 8.5/10
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