While we were aware of who Janna Pelle was, we hadn’t fully understood the magnitude of her artistry. A gifted multi-instrumentalist, Pelle calls the drums her primary love, together with her hypnotising vocal tone. This results in a high degree of expertise in composition and writing, allowing the American talent to open the floodgates to inspiration while being very effective in making her ideas a reality. Following up on the singles she released earlier this year, Janna Pelle releases a long-length record, ‘ECHOLOCATION’. Featuring a whopping 13 tracks, the album can be seen as her Magnus Opus, at least for now.
A tale of human fragility, ‘ECHOLOCATION’ seeks to enhance the various stages of life, presenting the listeners with a complex, intense and kaleidoscopic journey through challenges, achievement, conflicts and love. Sonically, the release is as wide as you would expect from a resourceful musician like Pelle.
Alternating abstract instrumentals with more conventional song-form episodes, the record is built over a hybrid organic/electronic production, featuring Pelle’s refined musicianship and skilled production abilities. Opening with ‘In Reverse’, ‘ECHOLOCATION’ temporarily disorients the listeners, offering an ambient-like soundscape augmented by a wide piano melody. It’s not long before we returned to the familiar bubbly electro-pop the project is known for.
There’s a certain contrast between more ethereal moments (as in ‘Sense’ and ‘Gets Me) and more pop-driven, vocal-heavy shenanigans (‘She Gets Me’, ‘Know Too Much’). This makes a lot of sense when compared to Pelle’s passion for Tame Impala and Lady Gaga. Could she have found the magical formula where friendly lyricism meets perky musical matter? We believe so.
Recommended! Discover ‘ECHOLOCATION’ on Spotify:
