Surface, Echo, & Sound by Editors

Editors
Surface, Echo, & Sound
Play It Again Sam

To synth or not to synth, that is the question we face with every new release by Editors. Distancing themselves from the highly danceable experimentation of EBM in 2022—which featured a collab with electronic producer Benjamin John Power, aka Blanck Mass—the band returns with a wonderful and organic artistic vision. Surface, Echo & Sound attacks the senses with the beautiful immediacy this band is so infectiously good at creating.

Gone are the broody Ian Curtis–stained mantras from In This Light and On This Evening, even as “Papillon” remains a solid footprint for the band. Violence is a not-so-distant memory of sharp-toned rock, and In Dream is a remarkable release that lives and breathes in its own sphere. Now on their eighth release, Surface, Echo & Sound delivers a limitless and free-spirited sound that took bold creativity for them to continue staying one step ahead.

“It was a very productive summer,” says frontman Tom Smith. “The sun was out for the most part, we were in greenest Gloucestershire, not far from where I live, on this innocuous little industrial estate – it was pretty much the opposite of being in Berghain!”

A play through the album reveals that more moments than not are truly unexpected. The title track is tinged with prose wrapped around acoustic guitars, demonstrating that Smith is an absolutely incredible vocalist using emotion as a weapon.

Out of the gate come two of the standout songs from the album. “Call It In” reaches back to ‘90s college rock iced with Far East guitar flavors, while “The Rush” burns deeper with the feeling of immediacy and escape. The grit and passion in the chorus solidify Smith singing, “Nothing hurts like the rush.” When you blend everything together, you have an immensely powerful effect on the soul.

Then we hear the late-night ballad “Shadow,” which harks back to moments from In Dream and brings back memories of intimate listens to Kitchens of Distinction and R.E.M. in my bedroom.

Each song on Surface, Echo & Sound is an artistic vision within itself. It tells the story of humanity’s vulnerabilities and triumphs. “Much Love” may not end the album, but it certainly provides punctuation. Synthesis emerges as the synth glides over rhythms, enhanced by layered guitars. Thus, the coming together of these elements is as fascinating as the music. After nestling into the twists and turns, we may be experiencing one of Editors’ finest moments.