EKOS

Review originally published at www.therocktologist.com

Freedom and instinct, two concepts we all should embrace!

Ekos has become one of the most amazing Mexican prog bands this millennium, fortunately, people around the globe are aware of their talent so their music can reach ears of different cultures, and the reason is simple: their music is extraordinary.

Years of hard work have rewarded the band with the release of three wonderful albums; three different works that explore diverse paths not only regarding the sound, but also the musician's minds and the context that have surrounded them, as persons, and as a whole. Though their music could be labelled as progressive rock, progressive metal, and maybe due to their early influences, as psych/space rock, one thing I love from Ekos is that they don't have boundaries, they play what they want, they follow their instinct, and that is something we should applaud and appreciate.

For this third and newest album entitled 'Instinto', Ekos wanted to make 2020 a big year, but for conjunctural reasons their plans have been kind of stuck and the promotion of this album has not reached the level they wanted to. This is when us, the fans and reviewers enter, because it is important that we can spread the word and help those talented minds that simply deserve the best.

So be prepared because this new album has some big surprises.

It opens with 'Vuelve a mirar', a song that was a single and now is truly loved by their fans. Here, Ana has a main job because she amazes us (as usual) with her keyboard playing, but also she is the one who sings it. Since this first track we realize there will be aspects that make difference from the previous albums, the vocal balance between Ana and Jes's is one of them. Musically this song is flawless, all four members are studied people and we can notice it while listening to it, all of them add different figures and nuances, even different emotions, which is why we can also find a mixture of sounds and genres, I mean, here we listen to rock, prog, metal and even electronic. Victor's bass has some amazing notes here, as in the rest of the album, which is one of the things I would like to highlight, I think his bass sound was given much more relevance in this record. Thumbs up for that.

'Fiel Obsesi'n' is a shorter track that has that nice vocal balance I mentioned above, here Jes's starts but later Ana join forces. The music is evidently different from what Ekos have offered in the previous albums; in Mexico (and Latin-America) there is a musical concept 'or genre? named Rock en Tu Idioma (rock in Spanish), of course we all in this side of the world are aware of it and have some influences, and those influences can be clearly noticed in this song, that has hints of some bands such as Caifanes or even Soda Stereo.

This change on their musical direction is one of those surprises that come with this album, all is a matter of tastes, because some people would prefer the 100% proggy Ekos rather than this one, but others, thank the band expands their horizon and do what they want to do. Another example of this new phase is 'Mi vida sin ti' which starts with piano and electronic drumkit, putting a somber but melancholic sound on it has hints of a heavier piece due to the introduction of strings. However, the calm prevails and then female vocals enter so a new structure is being built up; different nuances and emotions are spread on this track.

Well, now we are talking. 'Creando Vac'os' might be the best song the band has ever created, it is a 14-minute masterpiece and believe me, they have released gems such as 'Apocalipsis', 'Obscuridad' or 'Orillas del Tiempo', but this track is like OMG, please don't end, please extend to 20 or 30 or 40 minutes because you are beast, a god, an astonishing being. With this song of course the prog rock label is back, and that is one of the peculiar aspects of this album, that it is not a truly prog one, but their best prog song ever was delivered here. As you can imagine, this song is divided in different passages. It starts with a rock-ish and heavy sound, but just before reaching the second minute, it slows down and provides a calm sound with beautiful lyrics sung by Jes's, and a spacey background made by Ana.

Worth mentioning that Carlos' drums are incredible in every apex of not only this song, but the album. At minute four there is a chaotic passage that later is enchanted by a majestic keyboard solo that could perfectly fit in any Ayreon album. But this beauty of course doesn't ends there, because the next passages are also amazing. Hidden vocals here and there, hypnotic guitar notes and heavy drums put their grain of sand in this journey, just before an extraordinary bass solo enters to blow our minds. Wow, what I described is only half the track, your homework is to discover its whole beauty, because it is really an amazing gem.

Curiously enough, the next song is a contrast to what we just experienced. 'En-contraste' is a short acoustic song that has a 90's feeling, to my mind came firstly names of some alternative rock or even grunge bands, but then some latin bands that sing in Spanish also appeared. The song is very nice, yeah, but after that bombastic 14- minute track, I felt it like a cold water bucket, in spite of that Floydian reminiscence it also has.

The album finishes with 'Mi 'ltima voz' and it follows a little bit that melancholic sound of its acoustic predecessor. The Floydian essence is still there somehow, you will noticed it by the guitar sound and even the atmosphere; but what prevails the most is the new path Ekos wanted to take, and I want to congratulated them for that. They are friends and understand each other, they have grown up as musicians, and it can be perceived with their music here, which I repeat, is surrounded by their freedom, by ther instinct, and of course, by their love.

Enjoy it!

As 2020 arrives, Ekos release their long awaited third album, Instinto. The songs show their musical background, their current interests and the great musicianship the band is known for. Going from rockier moments to moodier ones, passing through catchy songs and of course with a great Prog epic which is where they flex their musical muscles creating a song which has quickly become my favorite from the band. The particular situations Ekos went through during the recording of the album helped them create a diverse range of songs which show them as mature musicians and clever lyricists. One can't help noticing the clarity of the voices and the interacting of both lead singers (Jesús and Ana) which have become a staple of the band along with their instrumental prowess. The songs: 1. Vuelve A Mirar (Look Again) is very energetic, with intense singing and a streamlined sound away from what the band is known for, with a very direct message on the lyrics which advise us not to follow what is established if we don't feel comfortably with it. 2. Fiel Obsesión (Faithful Obsession) is an accessible and catchy song which showcases one of the trademarks of Ekos, which is the lead vocalist complementing each other, with tasty keyboard and guitar fills. Iit can easily broaden the spectrum of fans for the band. 3. Mi Vida en Ti (My Life In You) has a beautiful intro, a somewhat melancholic song adorned with tasteful work on guitar, pleasant ambients and an abrupt but nice ending. 4. Creando Vacíos (Creating Vacuums) is the tour-de-force of the album, a great Prog epic on which all the members have a chance to be in the spotlight, with a strong beginning that slows to a calm section which builds up to an awesome instrumental section on which a great keyboard solo sets the pace for a rollercoaster of musical emotions on which all members have an opportunity to shine. Surely it will become a most requested song live. 5. En-Contraste (In Contrast) is an acoustic song with a double-entendre lyric on which once again both vocalists complement each other very well. The acoustic guitar playing is excellent, departing from the sound the band is known for, with very subtle but tasteful contributions from the rest of the band. 6. Mi Última Voz (My Last Voice) ends the album on a quiet and melancholic mood, enhanced by beautiful ambients and the rest of the band joining in a strong ending. Overall a diverse and very enjoyable album on which every song has its own personality, and with the right length of nearly 44 minutes, it really should attract the attention of a broader range of followers of this excellent band. Five stars.

They did it yet again and this time reinventing their sound. Ekos has woven a sonic tapestry filled with various styles that produced a cohesive album whose sound is paradoxically hard to pin down. They sound better than ever studio wise, the keyboards are on a whole new level and Jesus's voice sounds so ethereal it's heart breaking.

Every track is meticulously crafted, showing the bands prowess without being unnecessarily technical. We can hear how good they play their instruments but that's not what they're here for. They want to play their music and take us on a journey. Carlo's drums are tight and rhythmical, Vic's bass has never sounded so powerful and Jesus's guitar is still mesmerizing, melancholic. Like I said, Ana's keyboard playing is just outstanding and her arsenal of sounds has expanded even more. One needs only listen to "Creando vac'os" and "En-contraste" to appreciate the size of the spectrum their new sound covers.

I've given the album two spins and I know I need a few more to appreciate what they've done and understand the departure from the purely prog rock sound to their own sound. The "Eko's sound". But my God is it a happy departure because I can't wait to hear more of this new Eko's sound. It's really, really good.

Even though the Psychedlic/Space Rock band from Mexico called 'Ekos' was formed in 2005 as a cover band for Pink Floyd, they didn't release their first album until 2012 after they first started creating their own material and felt that their band was solidified enough as the quartet of Ana Camelo (vocals, keyboards), Jesus Torres (guitar, voices), Victor Juarez (bass) and Ricardo Castro (drums). After releasing their debut album, however, in 2015 Castro was replaced with Carlos Cleriga, and the band released a second album.

Early in January of 2020, the band, retaining this line up, produced another album called 'Instinto'. This album is made up of 6 tracks ranging from over 4 minutes to over 14 minutes and has a total run-time of over 43 minutes. Both vocalists take part in the tracks on this album, yet I am not sure which one is which. The lead singer for the first track 'Vuelve a Mirar' (6:01) has a higher vocals and the other has a definite different, more mature sounding vocal, which can be heard on the second track 'Fiel Obsesion' (4:39), where both vocalists sing and the listener can tell the obvious difference in their vocal tone. This helps a lot with the variety in the sound. These first tracks are definitely accessible and easy enough to listen to with a lot of balance between all of the instruments, but neither one of them featuring a lot of instrumental work, mostly driven by the Spanish lyrics. The music is catchy and drives forward quite well, but really doesn't sound much like a psychedelic or space rock band.

The guitar riffs are more apparent in 'Mi Vida en Ti' (4:31) with a more progressive and heavier sound which softens when the vocals come in. There is enough going on in the music to keep the listener interested, but it also continues to be mostly accessible and contains more guitar work which also helps bring the music up a level and the build up of energy in the track also creates the emotion that is needed. 'Creando Vacios' (14:43) begins with a chanting crowd followed by bass, drums and guitar churning and rolling along, creating excitement and interest in what starts to develop into one of the standout tracks on the album. The music calms, then floats along in the first semblance of psychedelia so far. Vocals finally come in and a bit of intensity develops as the music becomes more expressive along with the singing. After 4 minutes, things really start getting interesting as guitars darken the mood and keys come swirling in heralding in an extended instrumental orgy of amazing music and ever changing textures. It took a while, but now the album has become quite exciting. All of the instruments get chances to shine, and they do with organs, guitar, bass and drums all working off of each other a progressive style, but, again, not delving so much into the psych or space rock realms as much as the Heavy Prog sound. Vocals return after 9 minutes when the music softens again, but the instruments take over again even before a minute has elapsed as the guitars get a chance to show off in some rousing solos. Excellent track.

'En ' Contraste' (5:14) is driven by a heavily strummed acoustic sound and is soon joined by the vocalists. One can hear a bit of the Pink Floyd influence here, but its done quite well. Halfway through, the bass and drums join in. The song is nice, more ballad-like, yet nice, filled with acoustic riffs and hooks and a nice vocal melody. The album ends with 'Mi Ultima Voz' (8:29). This one starts off with acoustic guitar, atmospheric keys and vocals, soft and mellow like the last track, but developing into more forward movement as the drums come in later. The tempo speeds up and becomes more involved after the 5 minute mark.

The music on this album is very pleasing and nice, but the best part of it is in the last three tracks, which, fortunately, contain the two longest tracks on the album. Except for 'Creando Vacios', the level of progressive style is light, but the music is still very enjoyable and has a lot of depth. The lyrics are all in Spanish, but that is hardly noticeable because the music is so well composed and played. When all is said and done, it is an album I would return to, even if it doesn't have a strong progressive feel or even if it isn't exactly what I would consider psychedelic or space rock, it is still well done. To me, it definitely leans more towards a 4 star album.

4.5: the second album by Ekos, the most acclaimed in the community. They began as a Pink Floyd cover band back in 2004, and then evolved his sound to a more personal music without leaving behind his influences. Also I hear influences by other bands like Ozric Tentacles and Tangerine dreams. Lyrically, it talks about the possibility of existence of other dimensions and in general are good and well sung. musically, i considered a lot of space rock sound combined with some new elements of indie music, symphonic and prog metal with a very good result in any of this styles. The songs that I liked most was apparently suite of Sublimatio, Astralis and Avatar Pt. 2, is a very good progression, although the album in a whole is good. A excellent addition to any prog collection, and I think any who loves Space rock will love it because of the constant mixing with other genres and music variety.

In a time that pog rock seams like music from yesterday is so refreshing to find bands like EKOS a mexican group that are comited whit the music ,whit theyre own personality , in their sound you can hear some influences from Pink Floyd , maybe becoase they started as a tribute band of them , nothing to blame . EKOS recently released their second album"OTRA DIMENSION" ,Its great the way they blend together to deliver this great album whit no waste at all starting whit Merkaba the first of eleven tracks that leads you trough great musical passages to finish whit Otra dimension , which gives the name to the albun ,my favourite tracks are Orillas del tiempo pt. 1 and Invocacion, highly recomendable to any prog fan ,

EKOS are a Psychedelic band out of Mexico and this is their second studio album. It's a pretty cool concept about getting to that "other dimension" which the album's title means in English. Lyrics are in Spanish though. The six written reviews on here before mine are all rated at 5 stars. Impressive! EKOS were a PINK FLOYD tribute band before writing their own material yet PORCUPINE TREE seems to get mentioned more as a reference, maybe it's because there is some powerful sections on here like some of the sections on "In Absentia" along with the atmospheric, psychedelic sections which are more dominant.

"Merkaba" opens with humming sounds that build then the atmosphere takes over and it can get quite powerful at times and also spacey. A guitar melody is repeated after 2 1/2 minutes then it turns really spacey 4 minutes in. "Gravedad" or "Gravity" has these drums that stand out early as they sort of rumble along, then guitar expressions and more join in. Spacey sounds after 1 1/2 minutes. It turns absolutely beautiful 2 1/2 minutes in then it calms down late to the end.

"Avatar Pt. I" opens with atmosphere galore as some light guitar melodies come in over top. They will come and go. Some gorgeous sounds here including the vocals before 3 minutes that remind me a little of VIOLETO DE OUTONO. Nice bass too as this comes across as catchy yet restrained until we get some heaviness late after 5 minutes with riffs. "Sublimatio" is surprisingly heavy and check out that bass. Man these guys can let it rip. Such a great sound here. So many of these songs blend into the next which is cool.

"Astralis" is drums and piano mostly as vocals join in before a minute. It's heavy like the previous track after a minute. The keyboards start solo over top and soon the guitar is doing the same with a greater affect. "Avatar Pt. II" opens with vocals and a sound just like "Avatar Pt. I". I really enjoy the reprise.

"Orillas Del Tiempo Pt. I" is relaxed and enjoyable to begin with. It settles down more when the reserved vocals arrive. The atmosphere that joins in really adds to the sound here. Soaring guitar expressions and drums before 2 minutes as it turns powerful. The guitar is beautiful before 3 minutes with those soaring leads. The tempo then picks up. So good! "Invocacion" features piano and atmosphere as vocals join in just before a minute, a beat too. It turns powerful before 1 1/2 minutes but settles back quickly with vocals, a beat and piano standing out. The tempo keeps shifting late when the vocals step aside.

"Espejo" opens with piano and it's fuller before a minute as the vocals join in. This is laid back with reserved vocals. Love those melancholic synths when the vocals stop after 2 minutes. They are back after 3 1/2 minutes with a more powerful sound to the end.

"Orillas Del Tiempo Pt. II" pens with atmosphere and a mellow sound as relaxed vocals join in. Vocals step aside as the drums and organ take over. Vocals are back, synths too and this is more powerful. The tempo picks up after 4 minutes and it feels like a big a finish with organ but it settles just before it blends into the final tune "Otra Dimension" where the organ seems to run on forever as the piano joins in and then dominates to the end.

I highly recommend this recording. While it hasn't blown me away there's so many boxes that it ticks for me. I'm so glad I picked this one up and look forward to what they have for us in the future. Great band and a great headphone album but it has it's blemishes.

A new release from this band from Mexico City that is PINK FLOYD-inspired without being a straight imitation or too derivative. Lots of atmosphere, familiar guitar sounds, wildly creative keyboard/synthesizer use, and solid, hypnotic rhythm section. Listening to Otra Dimensión, I am actually more reminded of Norwegian band AIRBAG's debut album, Identity.

Tracklist: 1. "Merkaba" (5:08) truly spacey and mood-setting, though not much in the way of song structure. (8/10)

2. "Gravedad" (4:01) and nice slow tempo rocker putting on display guitarist Jesus Torres's pedal steel talents. (9/10)

3. "Avatar Pt. I" (5:33) a very delicately constructed weave of bass, picked guitar and quiet keyboards that is joined in the third minute by drummer Carlos Clériga's sensitive cymbol play before the song finally breaks into a pretty vocal-led ballad. (9/10)

4. "Sublimatio" (3:01) shows off the band's "heavier" side with almost-metal, almost-djenty riffs from start to finish. More like an instrumental étude in metal play. A nice guitar solo in the final minute is ruined by a very cheesy 80s synth bass and end. (7.5/10)

5. Astralis (3:20) opens with piano-based gentle rock lineup before multi-layered harmonized vocal enters around 0:40. Another venture into heavier, metal-riffing at 1:05 throws me off--especially when the incongruous synth solo begins. The lead guitar work in the third minute is nice (despite the support of the rudimentary metal music). (8/10)

6. "Avatar Pt. II" (3:18) opens as a straight-thru bleed from the previous song. Vocals from the getgo with an odd pop electric piano bouncing around in-between the vocals, drums and guitar "power chords." A sudden shift at 1:55 draws me in--floating, panning keyboards in the background with nice electric guitar lead up front. Odd song. (8.5/10)

7. "Orillas Del Tiempo Pt. I" (4:01) opens very prettily with arpeggiating guitar, cymbol play and tropical jungle keyboard sounds. Vocal enters to calm and space out the scene. Synths, echoed guitar, and fake-echoed drums try to effect a scene or mood. The guitar solo that begins at the end of the second minute is stellar--one of the best I've heard all year--true emotionality of the master, Dave Gilmour. At 3:15 the song kind of devolves into a 1980s power rock song (think Bon Jovi). Despite this, the guitar continues to shred emotionally. (9/10)

8. "Invocación" (4:44) opens with piano and a very familiar guitar sound (Collage, Riverside) while band establishes foundation for a slow rock song. Vocal enters at the end of the first minute and doesn't quite fit. Where is Robert Amirian when you need him! The song evolves quite unpredictably--which is a good thing, for a while--but then ends like a song that should have been on GENESIS's ...And Then There Were Three... (8.5/10)

9. "Espejo" (5:38) opens with a piano and synth sound and style that is starting to feel a bit old. But then at 0:35 everything shifts. A darker, murkier soundscape takes over á la some of the great songs on David Gilmour solo albums. I love that the band chose to sing in their native tongue throughout the album. The synth work of keyboard player Ana Camelo (starting at the 2:00 mark) is the standout performance of this song--and it is wonderful. Richard Wright taken two steps further. The song amps up for the second verse with the return of the WHITESNAKE guitars for the final minute or two. (9.5/10)

10. "Orillas Del Tiempo Pt. II" (5:58) opens with a bit of a New Age feel to it--until the gentle, atmospheric singing enters. At the one minute mark enter bass and arpeggiated guitars, then drums and soloing synth (á la "Welcome to the Machine"). Nice bass and drum play. Throughout. Actually, nice mix aurally and technically. Return of the power chords while the ghost of Richard Wright plays up front with an abandon he never had in life. (Nice work, Ana!) My favorite song on the album. (9.5/10)

11. Otra Dimensión (2:01) nice sonic outro with droning synth and meandering Satie-esque piano solo playing out to the end. (9/10)

Total Time 47:00

A band of creative if tempered and influenced instrumentalists have collaborated to create an exciting collection of songs. I see so much potential, so much more, for this band! I, for one, will be watching for future releases! I truly understand the praise and attention this album is receiving from the prog community!

A solid four star album; an excellent representation of progressive rock music.

Since the firs time I heard this band, I became a fan. Their first album Luz interna brought to me a cascade of feelings, specially their super proggy track "Apocalipsis", makes me feel illuminated. But this new album Otra Dimensión is a very fresh surprise, the sound quality is very superior, very well produced, all instruments sounds perfect and equilibrated, I specially felt moved with the keyboards which are spacey, and very moving, some classical and new sounds surrounds you all the time. I also loved the guitar sound which combines perfectly, beautiful effects, sound and melodies. But the whole band sounds superb, the voices I also found very touching, and I haven´t yet make an analysis of the lyrics, but something there is very touching. I strongly recommend this album, doesn't matter if you can't understand spanish, it feels really good to hear!

I´ve been a fan for more than 50 years, I still remember the first time i had the chance to hear The Beatles back in 1965, surprisingly, this open my ears and consciousness. to different styles of music, starting with groups like Yes, Emerson, Lake & Palmer, Gentle Giant, Family, Led Zeppelin, The Doors, Black Sabbath, The Flock, Ultimate Spinach, etc., a perfect mix of Progressive, Metal, Symphonic, Prog Related , Eclectic, Psychedelic/Space Rock, etc., a broad styles of fantastic bands and styles.

Taking me by surprise, I got hold of the new Ekos, album, my! what a refreshing surprise. Recording full of dramatical changes, great guitar riffs in the vein of Pink Floyd, Dream Theater, pastoral keyboard passages, amazing vocals, great peaceful atmospheric moments, perfectly balanced. The more you hear it, the more it grows on you. Probably the best recording in years of a Mexican band,