Donoso, Ricardo : Song for Echo

According to ancient mythology, the woodland nymph Echo was fascinated by the handsome Narcissus, and wished to lure him into marriage. Unable to say anything on her own, her voice could only repeat the last words said, and this act was not enough for the arrogant Narcissus. Heartbroken, Echo fled deep into the forest, her body turning to mountain stone. Her soul is often considered to be the faint reverberation of the wind, still calling out for her lost love. A Song for Echo's central character embarks on a spiritual journey through earth and water, attempting to discover herself and her relationship to the elements before nightfall. Ricardo Donoso's score really heightens the interplay between the attraction and repulsion of the doomed lovers and makes for an all-consuming, disorienting immersion. Rhythmic cadences collapse in on themselves for moments of striking isolation. Subtle melodic flourishes and field recordings are doused in digital textures and dark ominous drones. At once light and playful, the musical suite moves through time slowly, cautiously and in a downward trajectory. It's fitting that the inaugural release on Kathexis mark such a transitional stage in Donoso's discography. From the geometric, inspired post-rave moments of his Digitalis trilogy to the oppressive depths of the Scuba Death project, a Song for Echo shows the composer blurring the lines between what was once compartmentalized and segregated into something clearly becoming a unified whole. An essential piece of the Donoso puzzle and a small glimpse into what's on the horizon.