Knowing that Echo Lake consist of multi-instrumentalists, with “no clear frontman per-se” before listening to their debut ‘Sink EP’ one could be for forgiven for being a little apprehensive. It’s hard enough to find musicians good enough at their own instruments, so to find three guys that can seamlessly swap between guitar, bass and drums without compromising their sound could seem nigh on impossible.
If you are one of these pessimistic folk (and admittedly I was…) then you will be pleasantly surprised as opening song ‘Sink’ crashes in with its Biffy Clyro-esque riffs. Even more so as the song takes a step back to almost a power ballad feel, with vocal harmonies becoming as strong as the instrumentation below it. Their songs take you through highs and lows, one minute intense drums and bass driven riffs flitting through different time signatures, the next taking you down to simple (yet extremely catchy) vocal hooks. You wonder how Echo Lake quite got from one place to the other so seamlessly, as none of the changes sound forced in the slightest. By the third song, ‘Spark,’ their formula is becoming extremely familiar, leaving you wondering what else Echo Lake can do… Bring on an acoustic version of their “live favourite” Eyelids. This final song on the EP brings a welcome change; the intricate vocal harmonies are allowed to shine through, haunting pianos pad out the picked acoustic guitars all building up to an intense end to the EP with a string section adding extra warmth.
Overall ‘Sink EP’ consists of four strong songs; however they do lack a certain tightness as a band that I’m sure will come with time (they have only been together for five months after all). I do think that without the final acoustic song on there it would get lost amongst all other Biffy Clyro/ Hundred Reasons sound-a-likes though, I can only hope that they feel the same way… 7/10
http://www.echolake.co.uk/
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