With their debut album, Square-Eyed, Echo Hotel Collective have established themselves as a major player in the Scottish jazz scene. Eschewing many of the genre transgressions of similar artists like corlo.alto, the band instead embody a more traditional approach to jazz fusion with a hard funk edge that places them firmly in the lineage of Herbie Hancock. But Echo Hotel Collective set themselves apart with a quintessential sense of humour matched only by their sense of groove. Echo Hotel Collective are the newly certified court jesters of Scottish jazz-funk.
One word is inescapable when characterising the Echo Hotel sound: effortless. Their improvised, jam-based methodology is clear from the outset on opener Niko’s Jam. Beginning with an attention-grabbing four bars of de capos, the track slips into an effortless groove—so effortless in fact it feels like the kind of track that could survive on the steady, dead-cool energy of its beat alone. Much like the album itself, the song is in a state of constant reinvention. Their irreverent humour shines through on this track, pulling off an imaginative interpolation of the Grand Theft Auto soundtrack. Here is a band with zero reverence for the traditional ways, despite absolute alignment with good taste—for better or for worse.
Despite their comedic angle, the band actually has a pretty traditionalist approach. Unlike others in the fusion scene, Echo Hotel Collective tends to be more inspired by the traditional sources of inspiration for their style—think funk, R&B, and novelty music. When pitted against fusion rivals like Ezra Collective, it is their playing and composition that sets them apart, not their ability to mix and mesh super-modern genres like drum and bass and afrobeats.
It is therefore no coincidence that the forgettable tracks on an otherwise unforgettable tracklist are covers. Saria’s Song, a cover from the Legend of Zelda, and TANK! from Cowboy Bebop, see the band stray from the gripping eccentricities of their original compositions. Without their innovative songwriting, the performances hit the most cliche beats of the fusion genre. Echo Hotel Collective don’t give themselves enough credit: a rare group of musicians who could probably do with more ego and confidence in their original jams. This is especially true for bassist bandleader Jonny Richardson, whose basslines, able to slip from bouncy slap-cheekiness to thunderous power without incongruity, rival Thundercat in terms of jazz-funk virtuosity.
The highlight of the tracklisting is Fallout: if you listen to just one Echo Hotel Collective song, make it this. With chords and guitar work remiscient of Pat Methany, it seems like the kind of atmospheric, minamalistic jam that Jaco Pastorious would have salivated over. But rather than the guitar or bass, it is the silvery and chiming keyboard work that defines the perfection of this composition. As atmospheric and curious as it is brooding, this is a track begging to be sampled by Portishead. The song has an undeniable aura certified by one earth-shaking yet seductive sub-bass in the final moments, giving the track one of the most satisfying conclusions on the album.
Despite their evident love of the jazz-funk classics, Echo Hotel Collective are anything but orthodox. Nowhere is this more obvious than the aptly named Tempest. Opening with swirling synthesiser set against airy hi-hats, the track culminates in a furious guitar solo that tears through the delicate musical canvas. Unlike the rest of the album, Tempest has an attitude orientated towards stargazing more than dancing. With its cosmic-sized production, it shows a side of the band so unexpectedly it had me checking I was listening to the right album. Eschewing the funk inflections in favour of neo-progressive, space-age sounds, the track is evidently influenced by the now-defunct jazz-rock outfit The Comet Is Coming. Now that the Comet has tragically broken up, the fusion scene could do a lot worse than Echo Hotel Collective.
Never taking themselves too seriously, the band imbibe Square-Eyed with a chic ‘nerd jazz’ sensibility. Their humour can be found on tracks like ‘Pat’s Got Jokes,’ but especially on the interlude ‘Shithousery.’ Shithousery acts as a strange little interlude, but one that adds a sense of intimacy despite its brevity—the ambient studio sounds in the background, the silliness of its rollicking rhythm, and the laughter of its musicians all contribute towards the sense of being in the studio with the band. Much like the band itself, it’s a strange little thing, but I’m glad it exists. A musical curiosity that feels like the band inviting you into one of its in-jokes.
With its jubilant energy, the closing track, Shrapnel, sounds like it must be a favourite amongst the band members. Safely in the lane of Herbie Hancock and the originals of jazz fusion, what it lacks in experimental edge it makes up for in its exuberance and charm. The pure passion of the musicianship shines through on every note, and conveys a sense of fun that self-serious virtuousos seem to have forgotten about. Wasn’t this the genre that once resulted in Hot Rats? With the overarching humour and joyous spirit of Square-Eyed, Echo Hotel Collective proves that it is possible to leave your pretensions at the door, without leaving the mastery behind in its wake.