The airwaves have been begging for something with real texture, something that doesn’t just play in the background. Enter Echomatica, the Auckland-based quartet, and their self-titled debut album, “Echomatica”. Released on October 10, 2025, via Dead Signal Records, this is a goddamn late-night transmission from the heart of what makes rock and roll so eternally vital when it’s fused with emotion and experimentation.
Forged in the thriving indie crucible of Auckland, Echomatica started with stripped-down acoustic covers, which is a humble enough beginning, but they quickly evolved into a force that layers beats, guitars, and synths into a lush, textured beast of their own making. Their sound is a fusion of alt-rock’s grit, dream pop’s shimmer, trip hop’s hypnotic grooves, and the immersive wall-of-sound of shoegaze. They name-drop legends like the intensity of Joy Division, the slick darkness of Garbage, the gothic romance of The Cure, the trip-hop pioneers Portishead, and the dreamy sounds of Beach House.
The album was captured live to tape at Earwig Studios with producer Darren McShane, a move that immediately signals this band has guts. In an age of digital perfection, they went for the warmth, the slight imperfections, the raw energy that only analogue gear can provide. It’s a record that feels alive, breathing and pulsating right there in the room with you.
Up front is vocalist Charlie Maclean. Here’s a story of turning adversity into an artistic weapon. After getting COVID three years ago, Charlie had to relearn how to sing. What emerged wasn’t a diminished voice, but a breathier, more vulnerable, and hauntingly beautiful instrument. This newfound vocal character is the album’s secret weapon, with an intimate fragility that works in stunning juxtaposition to the music’s often widescreen grandeur. Charlie’s approach is all about exploring light and dark, filtering personal experience through shifting perspectives. It hits hard.
On guitar and programming, we have AJ. This is the dude who understands the weave, the fabric of songwriting. He speaks of paying homage to the greats—both modern and classic—and chasing the feeling of each track. This is about serving the song, building those beats and sounds that form the album’s bedrock. He’s the programmer, the architect of the rhythm and the atmosphere, ensuring the band never loses sight of the emotional journey.
Then there’s guitarist Matt Chong. If you want to talk about rock and roll guitar work that actually has soul, listen up. Matt talks about making this record as an “epic journey,” and you can hear it in every note. He built these tracks on carefully crafted rhythm sections that came alive at high volume in the rehearsal space, alongside delicate lead lines worked out on an acoustic in quiet moments. His experimentation with reverb and delay—both clean and distorted—has led him to what he calls his “definitive sound.” You can hear it everywhere: the soaring, textured layers that define their sound. He’s the guy chasing those moments of “frisson,” the aesthetic chills that make the hair on your arms stand up. And on this album, those moments are everywhere.
The tracklist kicks off with “Breathe,” a slow-building opener where Charlie’s whispered vocals float over a growing soundscape, pulling you into their world. “Heartbeat” follows with urgent rhythms—a track that gets under your skin. “Something” is a bittersweet anthem that’s already getting radio love, and for good reason.
Tracks like “Love Isn’t Always” are darkly romantic, then you have the one-two punch of “Waves,” a crashing, uncompromising track with new-wave overdriven guitar tones and relentless vocals, and “Fragile World,” very good in dynamics. “Month of Sundays” is filled with the kind of dynamics and melodic appeal that reminds you why you fell in love with guitar music in the first place. The album closes with the crescendo of “Pretending We’re Human,” an exploration of connection and fragility that leaves you utterly spent in the best way possible.
“Echomatica” is a record made by a band that believes in the power of the album as a complete journey. It’s available on all streaming platforms, but do yourself a favour and grab the limited edition vinyl. Echomatica has arrived, and the rock scene is better for it.