Naked Echo - Naked Echo

Naked Echo

​Naked Echo
self-released; 2017

​3.6 out of 5

By Jamie Funk

Naked Echo is a band from Columbus, Ohio that recently released a self-titled four-song EP Naked Echo. It’s a complete DIY effort that contains atmospheric elements and a number of catchy hooks. The instrumental aspects are clean and for the most part covered in a good amount of reverb but the vocals are soaked in long hall type reverb.

​The four felt cohesive and connected. Suffice it to say this is a solid start for the band and builds a foundation for them to grow on.

Up first is “Move Real Slow” and initially I was reminded a little bit of Panda Bear with a smidgen of Youth Lagoon. The song is very soothing and chill. It's the kind of song that sounds good on a lazy Sunday or maybe at a late night lounge where you can pass around a joint.

I really enjoyed the “Move Real Slow” but think “Cave” was a highlight. The groove is subdued but you can dance to it. Kind of like you are dancing on a cloud with that special someone. The vocalist goes into falsetto and it turns out very well. 

Up next is “Summer Heat” which isn't quite as covered in reverb. The song starts with an initial riff that is sweet and smooth. The main issue to me here was that it never changes. It liked it but needed at least one hook. “California’ on the other hand contains a clear verse, chorus and outro. A solid closer.

I get the feeling the band is just starting to discover their sound of this EP. You could also make the argument that the first two songs could have been trimmed down by about a minute or so. Kudos to the band for the great drum sound and production in general. It fell short of studio quality but was really good nonetheless. 

Overall, I think this is a very promising band that released a solid EP. The band has a lot of things going for them. On that note I also think their best work is probably ahead of them if they keep at it and chip away at this sound they created.

Tweet