ECHOREV

Artist Information

Biography

ECHOREV is an international duo that blends two unique voices into one. Johnny Nicholson and Jörn Bielfeldt craft a new breed of indie rock: electrified folk songs propelled by organic hip/hop and electronic beats with “anthem quality and many a sing-a-long moment” (The Owl Magazine). Having performed over 80 shows across Europe and the U.S. in support of their debut album, Find North (September 2011, Monkey Rock Records), and their latest EP – The Mermaid & The Astronaut (June 2012, Monkey Rock Records) ECHOREV will take you on a journey from the light into the darkness and back again.

Singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist, Johnny Nicholson, and experimental German drummer, Jörn Bielfeldt found each other at Berklee College of Music, in Boston at the end of ’08. There the two began defining the sound that would become ECHOREV. Johnny, a California native, had toured the country as a solo performer, developing an ever-expanding and evolving catalog of not-so-traditional folk pop songs. Anchored in his natural, soulful vocal delivery and intricate finger picking guitar style, Johnny’s songs-as-tone-poems took on a new light in collaboration with Jörn. With roots in electronic music, hip-hop, and free improvisation, Jörn’s unorthodox, driving, and even melodic approach to the drums helped ECHOREV develop an “eclectic yet distinct sound” (Crayonbeats). Having experimented with a third member on bass, Johnny and Jörn continue to push the traditional boundaries of a duo. With live looping and analog processing, they create a third voice between the two of them.

Find North’s “catchy mixture of Folk, Pop and Electro elements” (Alternative Nation) has captured the attention of DJ’s on over a hundred U.S. college radio stations and several German radio stations with national reach, while publications like Under the Radar featured “Cycles of Dreamers” on their 2011 Summer sampler and Fuse.TV aired the video for “Cycles of Dreamers” online and via On Demand TV through Comcast, Direct TV, and many more television service providers across the U.S, in March 2012.

This past June and July, ECHOREV made their third trip back to Europe in less than two years, performing another thirty shows across Germany. From storied rock ‘n’ roll clubs, to arts festivals, cathedrals, punk squats, and private homes, ECHOREV connected with all kinds of audiences, sharing their onstage energy and distinctive live sonic palette of Fender Rhodes, synthesizer, guitar, live analog processing/sampling, looping, drums, and vocals. Having sparked a steadily growing following with their brand of “melodic, intelligent, and skillfully-made rock music…” (SHZ), ECHOREV ended their 2012 tour with another 15 shows through California, Arizona, Colorado, and finally New York, for the CMJ Music Marathon.

With their moniker inspired by the French word for ‘dream’ – ‘rêve’ , the band is sharing their dreams with audiences worldwide.

Instrumentation

Jörn Bielfeldt - Drums, Synthesizer, Sound Design
Johnny Nicholson - Vocals, Guitar, keyboards

Discography

FIND NORTH - (September 2011, Monkey Rock Records)

The Mermaid & The Astronaut - EP (June 2012, Monkey Rock Records)

Official Website

http://www.ECHOREV.com

Links

• Twitter
• Last.fm
• MySpace
• Facebook

Audio

• Shadow King
  Listen  
• Red
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• Black Holes
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• Sparks
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• Still
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• The Light
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• Explosions
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• Cycles of Dreamers
  Listen  
• The Fool
  Listen  
• Not Running Away
  Listen  

Video

ECHOREV - Cycles of Dreamers (Official Video)

Photo Gallery

Press

• POP! Stereo Review Roundup [+ Show ]
  

  Echorev's EP Find North is more like an album because it features eight songs and lasts 30 plus minu...Echorev's EP Find North is more like an album because it features eight songs and lasts 30 plus minutes. Diverse in its approach and its sound, Find North is an atmospheric, airy, and moody record that sounds like a more stable Radiohead. Blending hooks with moods and quiet riffs with dance beats, Echorev manage to make songs out of things that shouldn't really be songs.
  
  Debating whether or not to head to the stars or stay grounded seems to be a conundrum for Echorev. They seem to want to do both and sometimes at the same time. Thankfully, it works to their advantage because Find North sounds so unique in its direction and contains songs that are mesmerizing. "The Light," for example slowly builds from a gentle breeze to a full on horn driven pop hurricane; it's epic pop to say the least.
  
  Far from short and sweet Find North is one heck of an atmospheric pop record that goes a long way towards defining what makes temperamental and epic pop what it is. This is emotionally weighty and gorgeous sounding stuff. Find North is highly recommended for wintery nights, blustery days, and anyone that's had a bad day; so most of us then.

• ECHOREV - Find North [+ Show ]
  

  “… while you notice the extraordinary quality of the rhythm section in the background, Johnny’s soul...“… while you notice the extraordinary quality of the rhythm section in the background, Johnny’s soulful voice brings the songs…to an ethereal level…the listeners can be excited for an interesting sound experience, that isn’t half as innovative as Björk’s new record, but twice as good…”

• ALBUM REVIEW: “Find North” by ECHOREV [+ Show ]
  

  “Just chill,” says Echorev through their latest album Find North. “Curl up with our sensitive and un...“Just chill,” says Echorev through their latest album Find North. “Curl up with our sensitive and understanding lyrics, envelope yourself in our serene, genial vocals, and escape the abrasive world in which you live.”
  
  And what choice is there? My advice? Push play for the first time on this one only when you are able to commit to 32 minutes of peace and reverence. “Explosions” is a great mood transformer after a long day at work (however, the loudly missing rainfall sound effect is ever-present at the end). The star of this album is the song “Sparks” with a pleasant beat, beautiful hooks, and relatable yet artistic lyrics: “I swear we’ve met before, somewhere perhaps we were not born, two sparks dancing in the dark, where time could not keep us apart.”
  
  With anthem quality and many a sing-a-long moment in all tracks, I’m highly anticipating some west coast love in the form of a live show from Echorev who is currently spending the majority of their touring time on the east coast and in Europe

• Nov. 26 ECHOREV at The Raven [+ Show ]
  

  Yes, Echorev frontman Johnny Nicholson has a voice softer than velvet and a face worth swooning over...Yes, Echorev frontman Johnny Nicholson has a voice softer than velvet and a face worth swooning over. But beyond this alluring façade lies pure talent. The Geyserville native joined forces with experimental German drummer Jörn Biefeldt and singer-songwriter-bassist Ann Driscoll to form the band, and the result, evidenced on their album, Find North, is a sound that’s warmer than a winter scarf and smoother than fine whiskey.

• ECHOREV - Find North Review [+ Show ]
  

  “… Find North is the perfect record to let your thoughts fly and just, for once, to let go… with the...“… Find North is the perfect record to let your thoughts fly and just, for once, to let go… with their opener “Still” ECHOREV tempts the listener into a different world…’Cycles of Dreamers’ shows that ECHOREV is not only musical but also can be as complex lyrically… “

• ECHOREV - Find North Review [+ Show ]
  

  Eight songs is generous for an EP, and likewise, Echorev is generous with its use of sound and ideas...Eight songs is generous for an EP, and likewise, Echorev is generous with its use of sound and ideas. These largely understated songs are chock full of interesting loops and rhythms, elements which coalesce into modestly dramatic pieces.
  
  A bit counterintuitive, I suppose, but the method works. And while the music is largely assembled, its mellow musings sound quite organic. Echorev has created a striking reality.
  
  This one won't hit you upside the head, but after a few songs you just might feel that way. The quiet power of this disc is undeniable. Quietly impressive.

• ECHOREV's new album now available [+ Show ]
  

  The ambient, indie rockers ECHOREV are set to release their debut album, Find North, tomorrow, Tuesd...The ambient, indie rockers ECHOREV are set to release their debut album, Find North, tomorrow, Tuesday, September 6, 2011. Describing their music as “both a form of accessible pop-music and an eclectic, not-so-traditional mix derived from all of our individual influences,” ECHOREV sets out to use their diverse backgrounds in order to create their own recognized sound.
  
  The worldwide trio consists of Johnny Nicholson from California, Jörn Bielfeldt from Germany, and Ann Driscoll of Ohio. Their home ties across the globe have given them a diverse mixture of inspirations that have created a new blend of indie rock music, crafted with instruments like the guitar, synthesizer, button-accordion, and processed drums.
  
  Beginning as just Johnny and Jörn in 2009, it was the help of Ann’s vocals, songwriting and multi-instrumentalism that allowed them to truly define their sound. With influences ranging from Neil Young to Andrew Bird, and even Nirvana, ECHOREV has been able to harness a wide variety of inspiration to create their debut album, Find North, which marries, “classic emotional storytelling with texture and abstraction.” ECHOREV’s future promises to be exciting and ever changing as they continue to break and experiment with musical boundaries,

• Debut Album Release ECHOREV – Find North [+ Show ]
  

  Hovering between Alt-Pop and illustrious dark Indie, the charmingly diverse Echorev manage to orches...Hovering between Alt-Pop and illustrious dark Indie, the charmingly diverse Echorev manage to orchestrate industrial backbeats within lyrical anti-anthems – The album `Find North` sounds far superior than the attached debut tag on this release. Overall individuality is pretty rare these days, Echorev`s colourful promo photo`s and contrasting album art mirror the bands musical style and vocal awareness. I actually feel quite sad when the last track is fading from it`s final chords – although the repeat button is always obsessively pressed.

• IndieMusicUniverse.com - Featured Artist [+ Show ]
  

  Johnny Nicholson: Indie Music Artist of the Week Singer/songwriter Johnny Nicholson reflects a de...Johnny Nicholson: Indie Music Artist of the Week
  
  Singer/songwriter Johnny Nicholson reflects a deep and diverse talent. Unafraid to venture into new territory, he’s lived in California, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, and Europe. Nicholson’s motley of adventurous explorations in geography is paralleled with his musical styles. He can play it all, from pop folk, to reggae, to smooth lullabies, to rock.
  
  Grown in Geyserville, CA, Johnny picked up the violin at age five and the guitar at age seven, he has been writing, recording, and performing for the better part of his life.
  
  "Ultimately, Nicholson is an artist you would take with you to celebrate, to ponder, and to live. While his sound is predominantly smooth and calming, Nicholson also produces music to match the many moods of life. Easy to relate to, the singer/songwriter seamlessly tells snippets of his autobiography…" (Lauren Proctor, Northeast Indie In Tune)
  
  By January 2010, Johnny will have graduated from Berklee College of Music in Boston, MA, where he has been studying, practicing his craft, and building Monkey Rock (TM) Presents/Records/Apparel. Johnny founded Monkey Rock in 2006. The organization has grown into a community comprised of artists and friends, from all over the world, who support each other by working, promoting, and performing as a group. May ‘08, Johnny released his first EP (available on iTunes), March ‘09, Johnny was selected to work in a songwriting workshop with Paul Simon, and June ‘09, Monkey Rock had a featured article in The Boston Globe. In September ‘11, Johnny will release a new record with a new project called ECHOREV - taking the music farther...
  
  Together with a network of artists from all over the world, Johnny continues to write, record, and perform.

Setlist

ECHOREV will be playing all of the songs off their upcoming release 'Find North' as well as material from a follow-up record which is already in the works. In general the songs are standard pop-form, between 3:30-4:30 minutes, but the live show includes live-sampling/remixing allowing the songs to develop in different ways over a longer period of time, transforming from the standard pop form into something slightly more reminiscent of an extended club-mix : )

(Originals)
Sparks
Cycles
Not Running Away
The Fool
So Familiar
The LIght
What it would feel like
Explosions
Darkness
Threw it away


(Covers)
I shall be released (electro version)
I will follow you into the dark (electro version)

Basic Requirements

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