Guedra Guedra
Vexillology

Futuristic Brussels based four-piece ECHT! are set to release their sophomore album ‘Sink-Along’ on the 5th May via the groove-obsessed Sdban Ultra label. Receiving critical acclaim from the likes of Gilles Peterson (BBC Radio 6 Music) and Mixmag for their debut release ‘INWANE’ (2021), ECHT! takes the best of Jonwayne, DJ Rashad, J Dilla, Ivy Lab, Tsuruda and Aphex Twin, resulting in an unrivalled sound.In a society geared almost exclusively toward the technological, ECHT! forges a different path, one that instead replaces the mechanical with the human. At the heart of their creative process made up of actual skin and bone, the influences of trap, bass music, jazz and hip-hop burst forth through their expert playing of instruments.‘Sink-Along’ showcases a rawer and more straight-forward approach than their debut. Whether on the bass-heavy opener 'Glide' or the beat-to-beat sounds of 'Cheesecake' and 'Bryan Brains', ECHT! confirms its taste for deep, dark beats pushed to the extreme. No one can remain indifferent. A more luminous universe is brought to the fore on the introspective ‘Vault-A' and 'Dawn In Duden' but at the core of ‘Sink-Along’, the common denominator is a warm and organic groove, evident on the inventive 'Rouf-rouf' and 'Mtwk part2'. "For this album we wanted to make strong and opposite emotions coexist: a dark and intense apocalyptic tendency, and a life and dance impulse that runs through everything. A paradox that is reflected in the wordplay of the title 'Sink-Along'."Releasing their debut EP ‘DOUF’ in 2019, the following year, ECHT! finished third in Red Bull Elektropedia’s ‘Fresh on The Scene’ category and the EP was nominated for ‘Best EP’. ECHT! released three sublime live studio sessions titled the BREWmixes in 2021, which received support from tastemakers including LEFTO, Worldwide FM and Belgian national radio station Studio Brussel (StuBru). Their debut album ‘INWANE’ soon followed.Echt means ‘vrai de vrai’ - ‘true’ or ‘real’ in brusseleir (Brabantian dialect of Brussels). The name is a direct reference to the fact that their sound transmission is ‘real’, performed with conventional musical instruments as opposed to computer music which the production might suggest. It also relates to the fact that none of the members of the band are originally from Brussels – bassist Federico Pecoraro is from Italy, keyboardist Dorian Dumont is from France and drummer Martin Méreau and guitarist Florent Jeunieaux are both from the Mons region on Belgium.

Recorded remotely during 2021-2022 the album took shape in the form of mutual compositions, gradually developed and embellished online. Final recording sessions took place at the majestic Chale Abbey Studios on the Isle Of Wight with Moses Boyd (drums), Tom Herbert (bass) and Siobhan Cosgrove (flute, clarinet) adding elements to several pieces. Tracks include the reflective, wistful single "Viento Calido" and drifting ambient piece "Sabena", a beautiful tribute to Gigi"s wife who sadly passed away during 2022. Greg Foat has recorded prolifically in recent years including acclaimed albums Symphonie Pacifique (2020) and The Mage (2019). Best known for his 1986 ambient masterpiece Wind and as a member of Gaussian Curve, Gigi Masin has enjoyed a revival in recent years through his Calypso album on R&S"s Apollo label and renewed touring. Dolphin represents Greg and Gigi"s first landmark recording collaboration together. "I first heard Gigi"s album Wind in 2016," remembers Greg. "I was living in Miami and I heard it playing one Summer evening. Since then, it has always been in my mind to be able to record together."Tracklist1.1Lee1.2London Nights1.3Love Theme1.4Dolphin1.5Sabena1.6Leo Theo1.7Viento Calido