Many music critics have praised emerging Australian music artist Echolily, describing her sound as pivoting between the haunting, ethereal sounds of Massive Attack, Portishead, Bjork, and the strong songwriting of Sia.
After releasing her debut single Under The Clocks (Stay), earlier this year, the Melbourne based musician is back with an even bolder musical statement, Higher. As Echolily has said about her creative process, ‘I have always aimed to make sounds that would break the walls of my comfort zones.
Often, they would cross genres, synth-pop, trip-hop, electro-pop and a little lofi.’ That genre-crossing has resulted in a kaleidoscopic sonic landscape on Higher. Echolily has channelled the 90s in a head rush of trippy nostalgia with her latest. With ads including SBS Chill DAB, Flow FM Network, and Triple R, Higher features old school beats, undulating bass lines and white-hot synths, all blended into an electrifying mix that ends with an unpredictable yet stirring choir.
Teaming up with acclaimed Australian producer Ivan Khatchoyan (Choi Productions, Cookin on 3 Burners), Echolily once again explores dreamlike, surreal musical terrain in her typically idiosyncratic, irresistible way. With the track’s pivoting point, the trip-hop pop hook of the chorus, Echolily reveals a method of sustaining a soulful, expressive vocal performance while maintaining understated accessibility, hip-hop beats surge into slivers of ambience with an instinctive naturalness.
‘‘‘When I wrote Higher, I thought about everything that needs to make a comeback. Radio, cassettes, vinyl records, handwritten love letters, etc. '
As Echolily has said about the inspiration for Higher, ‘When I wrote Higher, I thought about everything that needs to make a comeback. Radio, cassettes, vinyl records, handwritten love letters, etc.
The lyrics essentially is about love at first sight. Which, by the way, is something that needs to make a comeback.’ In less than three months, Echolily’s brand of lo-fi, electro indie-pop has attracted over 25K Spotify followers and almost 100K streams.
With the release of Higher, Echolily is sure to exceed those numbers.
LISTEN TO ECHOLILY HERE ONCE RELEASED: