Live Review: Strap yourself in for the wild ride that is Echo Drama's Insanity

The brilliant thing about 'Insanity', the latest cut from Melbourne 9-piece act ECHO DRAMA, is that once you're in - you're in. There's no respite, there's no warning, there's no gradual build up so you can brace yourself for the bombast that's headed your way. It just happens from the second you press play, and is done without any apologies.

While 'Insanity' is by no means a brutal listening experience, it is incredibly intense and relentless - in a good way - in its delivery. The bars spat by Alex 'Sinks' Sinclar are surrounded in heat and dipped in venom, as he condemns our ego-driven, monopolistic world. The rattling, rapid-fire intensity of his bars are only amplified by the booming brass - trumpets, trombone and saxophone to name a few - and the completely raucous drum beats.

Thando Sikwila, however, (who releases outstanding music in her own right) gives the song a breath of cool, refreshing air in her soulful and unforgettable hook. As she sings, the brass, bass and percussion melts together around her in an eerie, haunting way that perfectly sets up the blazing raps Sinclar delivers shortly after. On the inspiration behind the track, Thando explained, explains,“This song explores how people are so fixated with self preservation and tend to turn a blind eye to bad things that happen because they’re not affected by them. My hook is about looking inwards and confronting what being a human being really means, when people no different like us halfway around the world are left destitute all for the sake of profit. It’s not sustainable.”

'Insanity' on paper might feel like a crazy idea, but Echo Drama have made sure the gears turn exactly when they're supposed to and have given us an essential listening experience. It's explosive and relentless, and it will leave you short of breath, but it's a ride you don't really want to get off. In fact, once it's all over, you'll find that you'll be strapping yourself back in, in no time.

Echo Drama will be performing a very special show on July 26 at The Worker's Club in Melbourne, tickets here.

Words by JACKSON LANGFORD

Image: Supplied

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