Dublin dance duo, Alex & Echoes, release their first single for newly formed label CSR on Friday April 20th. The band have also been announced as special guests to Chainsmokers when they play the RDS in Dublin on June 24th.
History dictates that pop music is always evolving. Specific genres often have their moment in the sun and trends come to prominence before they drift away again, but the essence of a killer song never really changes. The hallmarks never go out of style – expertly crafted songwriting with hooks that burrow deep into the memory, delivered by vocalists with power, poise and an innate ability to convey a spectrum of emotions.
These are attributes that Dublin duo Alex & Echoes have in abundance, as demonstrated by their independently released debut track ‘Whiskey’. Recently signed to CSR Recordings the electro-pop pair already possess a body of work that signposts bigger things as 2018 unfolds.
That voice belongs to Jessica Smith, a young talent who comes from a lineage of accomplished vocalists – her father, for example, is a trained baritone. Meanwhile, producer and instrumentalist Cormac Butler’s roots in music go back to childhood when he was taught the violin. Although ultimately far more enamoured by piano and guitar, it gave him the grounding to turn his hand to whatever intrigues him. As Jessica jokes, “Cormac will say he can’t play an instrument and the next thing I know he’s like a wizard at it.”
Both Jessica and Cormac started out playing separately in live bands, but grew disheartened with the band format. “I got into music production when I decided to go it alone,” recalls Cormac. “I couldn’t rely on other people and there were too many opinions.” Jessica shared a similar experience. “It sounds a bit selfish,” she adds almost apologetically, “but I wanted to have more control over it.”
As for what comes next? Alex & Echoes share a range of burning ambitions but mostly they’re focused on the short term. “Over the next year I’d like our name to be on the map,” assesses Jessica, “so people know our songs, see us at festivals and we get our name out there so there’s a bit of a buzz about us.”
The ability is there for all to see and the parts are falling into place. It’s seems to be only a matter of time before Alex & Echoes are a hot tip for the top, both in Ireland and beyond.
