Welcome to our weekly dive into the tracks and EPs that have landed in the Echo Rebel inbox. This isn’t where we hand out five-star reviews; it’s a space for honest, unfiltered feedback on submissions that are good, but not quite ready for a full-length feature. We’re here to give you the truth, because great art is born from tough critiques.
Black Rose Moves – “Club of Sin”
Hailing from Birmingham, Black Rose Moves returns with “Club of Sin,” a track they’ve been hyping as a follow-up to their acclaimed Death Dance EP. With a sound that brings to mind The Sisters of Mercy and The Cult, the duo has built some serious buzz. And to their credit, the track sounds great. The production is top-notch, with an atmospherically heavy sound and a pounding rhythm section that gives the song a powerful, almost physical presence. The drum kit, in particular, sounds massive and is the clear highlight here.
However, for a genre defined by dramatic hooks, “Club of Sin” is a bit too reserved for its own good. While it’s a period-accurate, gothic mood piece, it’s melodically repetitive and, frankly, a little monotonous. It has all the right aesthetics but feels strangely devoid of any real emotion. It gets the sound right, but misses the big, anthemic moments that made their influences so legendary.
CØDEFALL – “Burn It Down”
As a solo artist, CØDEFALL handles all the writing, recording, and mixing, drawing inspiration from early 2000s alt-metal and rock icons like Deftones and Killswitch Engage. On “Burn It Down,” he does an admirable job of capturing that era’s sound. The riffs and melodies feel period-accurate, and there’s a genuine emotional core to the writing that comes through loud and clear.
Unfortunately, the production is inconsistent and really holds the track back. The drums sound like a cheap plugin, and the bass is an overpowering, unpolished mess. But the biggest issue is the clean vocals. They just don’t have the power to carry the song, and in its place, we get a thin, nasal tone that robs the track of its emotional punch.
Mogal and Teck Zilla – Away with Words
Cornwall-based rapper Mogal and UK/Nigerian producer Teck Zilla teamed up for Away with Words, a 7-track lofi/hip-hop project built around, as the title suggests, the art of rhyming. Mogal’s lyrical choices are genuinely excellent, and his laid-back flow is undeniably cool. You can tell this is an artist who genuinely loves to write, and his passion for wordplay shines through.
The album, however, just seems to wander. It feels like a collection of songs without any real narrative or climax, and the track-to-track dynamics are largely nonexistent. The biggest problem, though, is the production. Teck Zilla’s lo-fi backing tracks constantly clash with Mogal’s crystal-clear vocals, making the entire project feel disjointed and unpolished.
Raging Lines – “Everything”
Raging Lines is the solo project of Oslo’s Sondre Thomassen Thorvik, a music student who plays every instrument on his track “Everything.” The song benefits from crystal-clear production and a well-performed instrumental foundation. Sondre clearly has a great handle on his tools.
The problem, however, is a lack of direction. “Everything” feels like a mishmash of disconnected ideas: Depeche Mode-style vocals suddenly give way to nu-metal whispers, while the guitars are too quiet to add any atmosphere, and the bass is missing in action. It’s a well-executed soup of ideas, but it desperately needs a clear recipe to make it work.
Esandem – “Missing U”
London-based Afro-fusion duo Esandem, consisting of Lisa K and ABACHAA, brings us their new single “Missing U,” a blend of Afrobeats, R&B, and hip-hop. Having previously reviewed Lisa K’s solo work, her voice is the real highlight here. Her melodic and rhythmic delivery is consistently on point and elevates the song. The production is solid as well, with no glaring technical flaws.
But the male vocal is what drags this track down. It sounds like the kind of mumbling you do when somebody wakes you up too early, completely devoid of the melody and emotion that Lisa K so effortlessly brings to the table. The contrast is jarring and prevents the song from living up to its full potential.
Oscar Scannell – Gallivanting
UK electronic artist Oscar Scannell is known for his ambient and glitch work, but he’s currently exploring a more commercial, club-ready sound. It’s clear from his latest tracks that he’s a technically gifted producer. His mixes are all expertly balanced and sonically pristine.
Unfortunately, that technical skill doesn’t translate to equally compelling songwriting. The tracks largely feel like a collection of cool noises with no clear intent or emotional arc. They lack the genuine human feeling needed to make them memorable. The one major exception is “In My Mind,” a standout track that proves his potential for writing a truly great song.
Final Words
This week’s roundup is a perfect example of why we do what we do. It’s filled with artists who have passion and talent but are still finding their way. The best music is built on a foundation of honest feedback, so keep the submissions coming. We’ll be here next week to hear what you’ve got.
