REVIEW

The fourth album from Battle Ground, Washington–based singer-songwriter Echos.

Released via Outlast Records, an imprint under Sumerian Records, this album marks a notable turning point for the project led by vocalist and songwriter Alexandra Norton. Echos was launched when Norton was just 19 years old, with the project name drawn from a lyric in Paramore’s “Misguided Ghosts.” Until now, Echos has been widely recognized for a more electronic-driven sound that foregrounded Norton’s delicate vocal delivery.

Here, however, the palette shifts decisively darker. Heavier guitars rooted in alternative rock and nu-metal are introduced, expanding the project’s emotional and sonic range. This evolution appears to reflect not only Paramore’s longstanding influence, but also Norton’s more recent affinity for artists such as Ethel Cain and Spiritbox, both of whom explore weight, vulnerability, and atmosphere in distinct ways.

The centerpiece is #3 “QUIET, IN YOUR SERVICE.” The track feels as though it bridges alternative gothic metal and modern Nu-Gaze sensibilities, pairing dense, shadowy instrumentation with a vocal performance steeped in quiet devastation. Norton’s voice carries a profound sense of grief, cutting through the darkness with an intimacy that makes the song’s emotional weight almost overwhelming.

Elsewhere, #5 “OVER & OVER” pushes further into intensity, unveiling especially aggressive guitar work that signals just how far Echos has moved from its earlier electronic foundations. While this shift may surprise longtime listeners, it reinforces the album’s commitment to a heavier, more confrontational emotional language.

Despite the persistent darkness that follows, the closing track #9 “TOLERANCE” offers a carefully measured release. Cascading, almost mystical choral layers emerge, evoking the catharsis of dawn breaking after a long and exhausting night. Norton has spoken about how the album helped her reclaim herself while overcoming depression, and that sense of hard-won healing permeates the final moments.

Echos may invite comparison to artists such as Amira Elfeky, yet the project leans more decisively toward dreamlike atmospheres and floating textures, making it particularly accessible to listeners rooted in dream pop and shoegaze. Notably, the frequent use of the hashtag #twilightcore across Echos’ social media points toward an aesthetic shaped by the romantic, gothic sensibilities of the Twilight films—another subtle indication of how deeply Paramore’s emotional lineage continues to inform the project’s identity.