I’m playing it safe with March’s first official offering. I’ve got a lot of material I’m prepping for the upcoming weeks. But I actually haven’t sat down to think about what to post in the here and now. So in an effort to not drop the ball, and suffer another absent day, I’m relying on some tried-and-true dream-gaze melancholia to get me through the remains of the day.
This one’s titled “Glacial Place” and comes from San Francisco indie outfit Echodrone. It’s actually been sitting in my to-do pile for months, mainly due to life’s inevitable distractions, of which I seem to have many. And I’ve tried to tackle it a few times prior. It just never made the cut. Curiously, throughout the time, I’ve actually grown quite fond of it. Those repeated listens seem to have aged more gracefully than I would’ve guessed. So maybe tonight’s the right time.
Anyhow, as mentioned, “Glacial Place” has been spinning steady in the rotation, firmly situated at the crossroads of wispy dream-pop and searing shoegaze. It’s familiar territory for sure. And I’ve definitely leaned into the genre’s euphoric tendencies on more than one occasion. But this track tickles a sort of sweet spot, fusing the sonic skills of both, which is probably why it’s stuck with me since its 2015 release.
“Glacial Place” rolls at a casual saunter, with shimmers and shines in warm crescendos. It’s serenely stacked and subtly layered, and wanders between glittery chords and fuzzed feedback. It’s got sharp edges, but they’re slightly chiseled, with reverb bathed in a soft wash rather than a waterfall. And the vocals glide in soft hazy whispers.
From what I can tell, Echodrone’s been crafting this collage of ethereal noise for a dozen or so years. I’ve only been aware of them for the past four, dating back to “Glacial Place,” and the accompanying album “Five.” Of course, I’ve since checked out their earlier material, and it remains true to their dreamy shoegaze sound … albeit, a little rougher and rawer. And if you’re interested, they’ve also got a new one that came out last year, “Past, Present and Future,” which is smoother and slicker. I think you get the idea of their evolution.
I’m going to wrap it up there. It’s late. I’m tired. And there’s a whole new month of material to get prepped and posted. I’ve got a lot of good stuff coming. But for tonight, lets enjoy the six-string bliss of Echodrone’s “Glacial Place.”
“Glacial Place” from the 2015 album “Five”
