Name: ECHT!
Members: Dorian Dumont (piano), Federico Pecoraro (bass), Florent Jeunieaux (guitar), Martin Méreau (drums)
Interviewee: Dorian Dumont
Nationality: Belgian (Florent, Martin), French (Dorian), Italian (Federico)
Current release: The sophomore album by ECHT!, Sink-Along, is out via sdban.
Recommendations: «Voodoo» by D’Angelo; «Computer controlled acoustic instruments pt2» by Aphex Twin.

If you enjoyed this ECHT! interview and would like to stay up to date with the band and their music, visit them on Instagram, and Facebook.



When did you start writing/producing/playing music and what or who were your early passions and influences? What was it about music and/or sound that drew you to it?

Our band ECHT! started because the four of us where in love with Hip-hop and Electronic music and guys like J Dilla, Aphex Twin, Flying Lotus, DJ Rashad, Jonwayne … and we wanted to play those styles, and to make something that would make people move.

We started with covers and we learned a lot though that process and the support and encouragement of people helped us gradually become more  and more ambitious. Eventually, we started to export the concepts of the songs that we liked on our own compositions.

When I listen to music, I see shapes, objects and colours. What happens in your body when you're listening and how does it influence your approach to creativity?

Each of us separately would have a different approach or sensitivity to this, but yeah, in this project when every single one of us nods to a sound, we know we've got something.

And the goal is to bring our audience into that same state.

How would you describe your development as an artist in terms of interests and challenges, searching for a personal voice, as well as breakthroughs?

The development of ECHT! and our common goals as a group gradually became more and more ambitious over time as they became more specific.

For example, to reproduce an effect that a DJ is going to perform with a simple delay or filter button, we had to find collective solutions in order to sound as if this effect applies to each of us. It is through attention to detail and meticulous work on our ideas that we have developed our purpose as a band. While still keeping that human and direct sound that comes from playing live.

It’s a balance between electronic effects and the human playing and we are continually searching for the right balance between those.

Tell me a bit about your sense of identity and how it influences both your preferences as a listener and your creativity as an artist, please.

Our identity, although European on paper, is completely from Brussels. We feel like that especially musically. There is such a unique and chill vibe in that city and so many incredible artists in such a small area.

That said, each of the members of ECHT! has their musical preferences and we have quite different sensitivities. We are not a group of clones and we’re not people who agree with each other all the time. But we come together for a common purpose and we appreciate each other's differences.

Creating together and having a common idea is not easy and the process of agreeing between us can take time sometimes but when it works it's so beautiful. When it works it creates a beautiful emulation which means that the piece does not become what everyone would have done personally in their corner but the result of our confrontations and our shared loves.

And with time the game is still to keep us together and excited about commun things.

What, would you say, are the key ideas behind your approach to music and art?

Here’s one very small response to such a big question:

Feeling love for a melody, some chords, an artist, a rhythm, anything and finding keys to reproduce that feeling. Be humble and in the moment. And having fun of course.

How would you describe your views on topics like originality and innovation versus perfection and timelessness in music? Are you interested in a “music of the future” or “continuing a tradition”?

Every artist is the results of his environment. Some choose to anchor themselves more in the past, some to look ahead.

A band like ECHT! is really a «present band», a modern band, and a reflection of today’s time.

Ideally you want to be a combination of both future and tradition.

Over the course of your development, what have been your most important instruments and tools - and what are the most promising strategies for working with them?

Keep having fun.

Take us through a day in your life, from a possible morning routine through to your work, please.

A typical day with ECHT! is rehearsing from 10h till 15h. Starting by getting on with the work of the day like rehearsing a transition or creating a new part on a tune or whatever needs to be done that day.

Have lunch together, go back at it and then play some snooker during a break (yes we have a snooker table in our rehearsal place).

Could you describe your creative process on the basis of a piece, live performance or album that's particularly dear to you, please?

I’m not sure to really understand the question but if I have to choose a track that describe us well I would say "Cheesecake" is a good representation of the band.



It's powerful but also surprising, it doesn't necessarily go where you initially expect it and it plays with the codes in a way that speaks to us as listeners of this kind of track.

Listening can be both a solitary and a communal activity. Likewise, creating music can be private or collaborative. Can you talk about your preferences in this regard and how these constellations influence creative results?

We do everything together and it’s a challenge obviously. We cannot agree all the time and you have to choose your battles. The important thing is to agree on the objective and to define it really well.

It’s much easier to be a leader and to be the one to decide in the end. But having no leader is difficult sometimes and can be frustrating but can also be so beautiful when it becomes something more than you, when you trust your friends and when you know you can trust them.

So I like both, I like working with ECHT! collectively and I like to be the only one to decide from time to time.

How do your work and your creativity relate to the world and what is the role of music in society?

Music and art are vital necessity in my opinion. Humanity and art cannot function without each other. Making music and art is being human.

We make art to elevate ourselves and music allows us to feel all the emotions that we experience in our life. This is why it was so painful and sad to hear that our job as artists was a «hobby» and «dispensable» by the government during the pandemic for instance.

Art can be a way of dealing with the big topics in life: Life, loss, death, love, pain, and many more. In which way and on which occasions has music – both your own or that of others - contributed to your understanding of these questions?

I couldn’t imagine my life without music. I need to play it and I need to hear it. For every occasion or sentiment I just need it.

I don’t understand life but I do know this.

Creativity can reach many different corners of our lives. Do you feel as though writing or performing a piece of music is inherently different from something like making a great cup of coffee? What do you express through music that you couldn't or wouldn't in more 'mundane' tasks?

We make art to elevate ourselves. But mundane tasks or repetitive activity can be a way to elevate yourself as well with sports, yoga or whatever actually. I really believe that.

Music is vibration in the air, captured by our ear drums. From your perspective as a creator and listener, do you have an explanation how it able to transmit such diverse and potentially deep messages?

Varèse said «music is organized sounds». If you’re a good organizer you can be quite deep.