In an age where people strive to take shortcuts in life, seeing the return to vintage techniques and the use of analog gear is certainly a great way to stand out. That's what Jakarta-based producer Wandour has done for the creation of his brand-new album Echoterrium, and it naturally drew me in.
Get ready for 10 immaculate electronic-centered pieces built from cassette loops, field recordings, and fragments of sound collected while travelling around the world.
Listen on Spotify / Apple Music / Deezer / TIDAL / Amazon Music
I don't know about you, but as I grow older, I frequently find myself in this weird state where smell or sound brings up a long-forgotten memory. The last time it happened was in this vintage cake place in my old neighbourhood. The distinct smell of old-school pastry brought back a memory from over 30 years ago, when, after picking me up from kindergarten, my grandma (or my mom, not sure) brought me here. The same happens with random sounds - bits and pieces that could unexpectedly return us to a place, person, or moment we thought we had forgotten, and that's what Wandour channels for the creation of Echoterrium.
What I love about Wandour's approach is that nothing feels overly polished or forced. Just a field recorder, a camera, some forgotten cassette loops, and sounds picked up along the journey of life, the artist runs all of that through old tape decks and battered gear. That means that the hiss, the distortion, and all those little imperfections stay in. Honestly, that is the beauty of this record. The human touches and imperfections that make music feel alive are something AI still (thankfully) struggles to truly capture.
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In an era when electronic music can increasingly be generated and perfected digitally, Echoterrium makes a case for the opposite - music shaped by physical objects, accidents, and traces of the places in which it was made.
If I were you, I would give the whole album a proper listen, as it might take a little time for that nostalgic feeling to sink in. The gorgeous blend of IDM, downtempo, ambient, dub, and electronica, filtered through analog gear and nostalgic textures, is such a trip!
The opener, "Movement in Time," was an instant highlight for me. Its punchy, Bonobo-meets-Moderat energy brought me back to those glory Berlin days for some reason. Follow-up "Seaside Moments" will simply enchant you, and the spoken-word sample paired with cinematic strings in the background feels very immersive. I won't do a full track-by-track breakdown, but the next tune in line, "Cloud Gazer" deserves your divine attention. The sudden switch feels like life itself - full of surprises. It literally made me jump on my chair!
What I like about Echoterrium is the fact that each song feels special. Important. Vital, for the ultimate perception of the record, which ebbs and flows in the most perfect way possible. The sonic experience wraps up with "Midnight Flame" and "Static Connection" - two songs that take us away from heavy bass, haunting piano loops, and cinematic vibes to late-night jazz and crackling radio static. A fitting end to a record designed to leave you somewhere between reality, memory, and a half-remembered dream.
Released via Resilen Records, the album is also available on vinyl. No surprise, given the essence of it!
Echoterrium is all about capturing the things we can't (seem to) hold onto - fleeting places, past journeys, and memories that slowly fade. I think this is ultimately a positive album because what it shows is that all of those can sometimes come back with a single sound.
I hope this experience ends up being as meaningful to you as it was for me. Wandour, if you read this - thank you!
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