Echo Us is a music concept project started by Ethan Matthews in late 2000. The former guitarist for one time progressive metal outfit Greyhaven in the late 1990’s, Ethan helped to create a small niche in the progressive metal genre with a unique sound of ambient synthesizers within complex progressive metal rhythms. Greyhaven released their debut in 2000 on Angular Records of Germany, and split up shortly after the summer of 2000.

The name Echo Us has a long history. In 1999 the name was to be used as the replacement name for Greyhaven which were gearing up to release their debut. It was decided that the band should stick with the name they had established originally in 1996, so the term Echo Us was still in a holding pattern until the right circumstances developed.

Echo Us finally became a vehicle for Ethan’s creativity and numerous sound experiments in late 2001. Although known as a studio project due to the nature of the experimental self-titled debut of 2005, Echo Us actually started out as an electronic-based songwriting duo and band during the Fall of 2000 in Boston, Massachusetts. Other members at the time included Matthew Cahoon (co-writer and vocalist), Michael Van Dyne (drums), and Kai Kurosawa (bass and Warr guitar). The band played live around Boston in 2001 and abruptly disbanded in November of that year due to vast disagreements in direction, and Ethan’s hospitalization after a mental breakdown.

Kai and Ethan continued to work together briefly in 2002- this time on a debut full-length album. In 2003 Ethan moved the project to Portland, OR and self-released Echo Us’ debut album, working with a variety of people in the progressive and electronic areas of music.

Echo Us moved on to much more ambitious projects, the first being a concept album called The Tide Decides. The album was released by Musea Records of France in July 2009 and is being followed by its ‘sister’ album- a ‘sequel’ call Tomorrow Will Tell The Story. They mark a turn toward long form interwoven compositions mixed a unique and melodic aesthetic that many have noted for it’s complete lack of dissonance, but at the same time completely original and mysterious sound.

While orchestration and mixing work started on The Tide Decides in 2007 it became obvious that the two albums need to be worked on together, as there was a theme and energy present that took the worldly themes of The Tide Decides and concluded them in the material for ‘Tomorrow’. Thus, The Tide Decides had revisions done to it and ‘Tomorrow’ was altered compositionally to dovetail out of the ending of The Tide Decides. At the same time Echo Us became a true electro-acoustic hybrid mixing harp, strings, and acoustic drums and bass into the mix for The Tide Decides. The session players included Aaron Bell (bass guitar), Andrew Greene (drums / percussion), Teri Untalan (viola), and Raelyn Olson (pedal and lever harp).

With The Tide Decides the music of Echo Us became intertwined rather that separate, and also represent a foray into physics and spiritualism. Certainly bigger than the musical influences within these albums are the references to a holistic journey, David Bohm’s physics, or the spiritualism of mediums like Seth-Jane Roberts. At the same time, one can listen to the music from one’s own perspective- as the poetry accompanying The Tide Decides displays. There is a buoyancy to the music and continuous feeling, but at the same time a sort of “stop and start”, ‘echoing’ effect often created by the mix of acoustic and electronic orchestration, making the albums evocative on totally opposite levels at the same time.

Tomorrow Will Tell The Story is a predominately electronic affair that utilizes a vast library of samples from The Tide Decides and various field recordings to assemble its instrumentation. The album again features the harp of Raelyn Olson, but also adds the lush and airy vocals of Henta Ellis. Henta is originally from the UK and now resides in Seattle Washington. Her contribution brings out the female element under the surface in The Tide Decides. In ‘Tomorrow’ female and male voices combine to form a unison of light and dark- a breaking down of dualism as suggested by the literary and scientific works cited.