Anna Meredith and Bonobo vibes
Who?
Growing up in rural Essex, Emily Jones always dreamed of playing percussion on ‘Later… With Jools Holland’. She tried everything she could to pursue her dream, including applying to numerous music colleges and doling out for classical training. But the money eventually ran out, forcing her to abandon any hope of sharing a stage with the ex-Squeeze keyboardist. Luckily for us, it was this experience which led Jones into the world of electronic music, and after her boyfriend bought her Ableton software as a surprise present, she was soon writing and producing tracks under the name Echo Juliet.
Why Echo Juliet?
Jones’ hankering to find genuine originality and diversity in the music she makes will be palpable to even the most casual listener. Her debut single ‘Red Sun’ was released earlier this year, and is built on delicate lead melodies, accompanied by deep, penetrating synth throbs and driving, house-influenced rhythms. Her knowledge of classical music is apparent in the track’s elegant layering, the rhythms and melodies interlocking so carefully with one another, until the whole thing begins to develop into a phantasmagorical symphony.
Tell Us More…
Echo Juliet’s debut album ‘Abandon Reality’ was released in October, combining balmy but fractured electronica with a clear influence from the likes of Bonobo, Floating Points and Anna Meredith. It has an unrelenting feeling of breakbeat-infused motion, the sputtering ‘Life On Trains’ – inspired by regular commutes from the Midlands to North East England – being a highlight. But tracks like the mellow closer ‘Willow’ – with synths that twinkle through a haze of breathy samples and fizzing bass – show off the true sophistication of her artistry. A genuine star in the making.
‘Abandon Reality’ is out on Invisible IDs
