Sheila Chandra - Echo (2026)
This is impressive, but I think I admire it more than I love it.
Sheila Chandra’s voice is obviously extraordinary. There are moments here where it feels like one person is creating an entire ensemble by herself, just through rhythm, resonance and phrasing. The “Speaking in Tongues” pieces are probably the clearest example of that, and hearing them live makes the technique even more impressive.
What I like most, though, is when the technique disappears a little and the emotion takes over. “Lament of McCrimmon / Song of the Banshee” is probably my favourite because it has more atmosphere and more of a real journey. “Ever So Lonely / Eyes / Ocean” is more immediate, while “Nana / The Dreaming / Fine Horseman” is probably the piece where the voice-and-drone format feels most complete.
I also like the fact that these performances were chosen for feeling rather than perfection. That gives the album a real live character, and it stops the whole thing from becoming a sterile vocal showcase.
The problem is the length. Sixteen tracks and around 65 minutes is a lot when the basic palette stays this stripped down. After a while, even something this distinctive starts to feel repetitive. The shorter vinyl version probably makes more sense as an album.
And that is really why I stop at 64. There are some exceptional moments here, but I would probably return to individual performances much more often than to the complete record. Very distinctive, often beautiful, but also demanding and a little too uniform over the full digital edition.
64/100
❤️ Favourite track prediction: “Lament of McCrimmon / Song of the Banshee”
+ A genuinely unique vocal identity
+ The best performances are emotionally stronger because they keep the live imperfections
+ Several tracks turn an extremely minimal setup into something surprisingly immersive
– The 16-track digital edition is too long for such a limited palette
– Some pieces are more technically fascinating than musically memorable
– Replay value is much stronger track by track than for the full album
Genre: World Music
Country: UK
Final Verdict: 64% (Good Album)
Yearly Ranking: 340th / 720
Highlight: Lament of McCrimmon / Song of the Banshee
Made me think of:
Meredith Monk
Lisa Gerrard
Dead Can Dance
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