Faceless Ones - "Aphelion Echo"

Reviewed by Aaron Cloutier

A palm-muted, single note motif comes together with a tom heavy drum beat with an intensely “tribal” flavor to set the tone for the driving, yet pensive “Aphelion Echo” by Faceless Ones.

Echo is an appropriate choice of words for the title as the sonic aesthetic for the track is bathed in both reverb and delay to great effect. This is particularly noticeable in the vocal performance that is both emotional and earnest.

A soaring delivery complete with lush harmonies is contrasted with counterpoint melodies throughout and brings me back to everything from early Beach Boys to Yes. The message reflects the pensive quality of the music perfectly in my opinion.

“I'm on the way. And I'll survive, and I'll survive. I'm on the way. To morning light, to morning light. I'm on the way. To be with you, tomorrow night.”

These lyrics touch deeply on the topic of mental health and the perseverance to hold on until tomorrow. The message, combined with such a massive hook makes for a hauntingly impactful chorus

As the song builds, clean guitars reminiscent of Andy Summers join the mix. Arpeggiated chords are awash in reverb but also a bit of chorus to my ear. It reminds me of something The Edge might do on a U2 track without being a blatant copy. It sounds more like a subtle influence if anything.

Despite the use of time-based effects to create such immersive atmospherics, the tight bass lines and drum performances are never drowned out. The production of the rhythm section is very clean and very sleek and yet, it never detracts from a feeling of vastness. There’s an emotive ethereal quality throughout “Aphelion Echo” that doesn’t let up as a result of the combination of these elements and you’d be disappointed if it did. There’s tons of vibe on this track.

I’ve listened to this tune 5 times in one sitting so far. I’m not gonna lie, the subject matter combined with the aforementioned elements has made for such a moving experience for me as a listener.

Give this one a spin and I think you’ll agree.

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About Faceless Ones

Julian Coiner, known by the moniker Faceless Ones, is a singer, multi-instrumentalist, and producer from Baltimore, Maryland, and now based in Denver, CO. Coiner is a Cherokee native from a musical family and has been playing since childhood. He plays drums, guitar, bass, keyboard, sings and writes, and produces every aspect of his music. Faceless Ones began when Coiner was in high school, and now has four albums out and three music videos. Coiner's biggest musical inspirations are Local Natives and Prince.

Learn more on their Website

Find more of their music on Spotify

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