Echologist takes dub to the next level: dub ambience. There is little to no percussion on here. What guides you is filtered bass and ambience. Only a few clicks occasionally rear their heads through the heavy bass which makes up the entire album. Few have ventured out this far into dub ambience. Brendon Moeller knows that even Basic Channel allowed a high hat or kick drum here and there.
I like the level of dedication present here. Deliberate efforts are made (successfully) to ensure the album remains a coherent whole. Even song shows its own character, no mean feat considering the same sounds are cycled over and over again. With each new song we’re presented with a different approach to the same sounds. “Subterranean” introduces us to the palette being used for all seven songs.
What each song does with those sounds is the amazing part. Some are blurred into near-oblivion (see “Lunar Cycle”). Others transform into a weird version of the chicken dance (see “Deliberate” for Brendon’s sense of humor). The album builds and declines based off of these bass rumblings. If I had to think of a close comparison to the sound I’d have to mention Basic Channel’s “Radiance” release but that one even included some beats.
Minimalism is a tough thing to pull off even with a full range of sounds. The limitations Brendon sets for himself here don’t appear to be limitations but rather perimeters to explore. It is a sound recommended for quiet surroundings.