With their debut full length album, this New York City trio have created one of the most memorable melodic electronic albums in recent memory. Throughout the 11 track CD they fuse acoustic instrumentation with electronics to outstanding effect. The album works well as a whole, with many tracks segueing into one another seamlessly. Although most of the tracks are beat oriented, the varied drum sounds and patterns complement the melodic elements rather than become the focus.
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The use of a brass section on several tracks sets Forest of the Echo Downs apart from countless other electronic releases. This live instrumentation gives "Black Moss Caves Pt. 1" and "Forest Floor" a cinematic quality. This music would be the perfect soundtrack to a film version of the plant-life scenes illustrated on the cover. The mid-album placement of "Baron of the Bog," the sole vocal track, balances the 44 minute set nicely. This track would be played during the scene in the film in which the main characters meet in a bar with a plant-life theme. This track has a live, almost lounge band feel, but does not sound out of place among the other, more digital compositions. Although "Holographic Moon Owls" and "Pollen and Spores" have similar qualities to instrumental hip-hop, their arrangements prevent them from sounding as if they are lacking vocals. While most tracks feature a linear structure, they also contain plenty of analog synthesizer burbling and other intricate flourishes. The three-dimensional use of the stereo field ensures that new discoveries will be made with each repeated listen. Although it is unclear whether the acoustic instruments have been played live or are sampled, it is apparent that this crew has musical ability that goes beyond sampler programming. By the end of "Black Moss Caves Pt. 1," I had to remind myself that I was not listening to Dead Can Dance. It is not often that groups working in electronic music transcend genre and defy categorization with this level of success.
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