“This one might’ve been in us from the start”, shares John Hancock, referring to ‘Echos’ – the seventh longform project from Late Night Alumni, featuring John Hancock, Becky Williams, Finn Bjarnson, and Ryan Raddon.
Known for their unique fusion of electronic and acoustic sounds, this new album marks a significant shift away from the band’s traditional house music roots. Entirely acoustic, ‘Echos’ is a natural progression for LNA. “Most of our songs,” John explains, “begin in the organic/acoustic space and are then enhanced with electronic elements to shape our sound. Those intimate beginnings possess a unique magic that we’ve always wanted to capture in an album.” With this vision, Becky, John, Finn, and Ryan revisited their extensive catalog of twenty years and chose eleven tracks to reinterpret with an intimate approach. This collection is a delightful experience for both longtime fans and newcomers, as well as admirers of downtempo and live instrumental music. ‘Echos’ is set to be released in October 2023.
The journey starts with ‘Beautiful’, a track originally from their 2005 debut album. This piece builds from a delicate piano beginning to a transformative climax featuring lush strings. The album transitions into an acoustic rendition of Ryan ‘Kaskade’ Raddon’s ‘4 AM’, which already had contributions from other band members, collaborating on a more dawn-inspired version. Swapping in orchestral elements, ‘Even As I Go’, from 2019’s ‘Silver’ LP, introduces a cinematic quality to its acoustic framework. The playful vocals on ‘Gemini’ merge seamlessly with a fresh folk-inspired arrangement, bringing an uplifting vibe. Returning to ‘Silver’, ‘Love Is A Knife’ intertwines poignant lyrics with a rich string backdrop, showcasing the emotional depth in Williams’ vocals. “The more we feel, the more we know,” she sings, capturing the song’s essence beautifully.
In anticipation of the album, the group shared, “Echos” is a rich, organic reinterpretation of select songs from our two-decade journey. Crafting these acoustic versions has been one of our most fulfilling experiences together. We intend to unveil these tracks throughout 2023, and there’s much more to share as the release date approaches. Stay tuned!
Striking a balance between two of their previous works, ‘You Can Be The One’ revisits themes from ‘Of Birds, Bees, Butterflies, Etc’, the band’s second album. ‘Mine’ opens with grand orchestral strings, heightening its emotional narrative. The iconic ‘Empty Streets’, known as a vital introduction to Late Night Alumni, here transforms into a more introspective piece that emphasizes its lyrical richness without the usual rhythm structure. In homage to their steadfast followers, ‘The Rest Of You’, which follows ‘Empty Streets’ on their debut album, retains its captivating instrumentation while infusing Spanish influences, creating a perfect chillout track. The penultimate song, ‘Sapphire,’ recalls their 2013 LP ‘A Beat Becomes A Sound’, with intricate arpeggios that evolve into majestic harmonies, while Becky channels her inner Björk to achieve ethereal vocals. Closing out the album, ‘Window’ introduces a brand new track for LNA. The piece builds dynamically with drums and live instrumentation, delivering an impactful conclusion to ‘Echos’ through its poignant melodies and harmonies.
Offering a truly organic transition for Late Night Alumni, ‘Echos’ is available now. You can listen to it here: [https://lnamusic.lnk.to/echos]
