An '80s pop icon with
Yes
,
Buggles
, and
the Art of Noise
Trevor Horn
is also well known as a producer behind the scenes. He brings this aspect of his talents to the fore with 2024's
Echoes: Ancient and Modern
, a covers album that finds him putting a new twist on songs, many of which he produced originally. The album is the conceptual follow-up to his previous covers project, 2019's
Reimagines the '80s
. As with that album,
Echoes
finds him joined by guest vocalists, each of whom is recognizable in their own way and who has worked with
Horn
in the past. Given some of the new wave and dance-pop leanings of
's own classic work, one might expect
to be a frothy, upbeat affair. While there are certainly moments of buoyant pop fun to be had, the overall approach is more low-key, with
reworking most of the songs in a more dramatic, sonically textured and emotionally introspective way than the originals. Perhaps a good clue to the aesthetic vibe he conjures here is his cover of
Bryan Ferry
and
Roxy Music
's "Avalon," the sole track to feature his own vocals. It's subdued and somewhat jazzy, not unlike
Ferry
's version, and feels like a creative touchstone for the overall vibe
is going for. Similarly, we get an arid, goth dreamscape arrangement of
Frankie Goes to Hollywood
's "Relax" featuring singer
Toyah
and husband/guitarist
Robert Fripp
. While the original "Relax" as produced by
was done with singer
Holly Johnson
's tongue firmly in cheek, here
goes for a deadpan earnestness, underlining the notion that he is deconstructing each song to get to the core emotion at the center. Yet more far afield of the original is his shadowy, EDM-esque take on
Pat Benatar
's "Love Is a Battlefield" with
Marc Almond
, which turns the rock anthem into a dark club ballad. Another surprisingly effective transformation is
Tori Amos
' opening rendition of
Kendrick Lamar
's "Swimming Pools." Her throaty coo is a perfect match for the moody atmosphere
creates and one could easily imagine listening to a whole album of
Amos
done in a similar fashion. Elsewhere, we get
Iggy Pop
Lambrini Girls
joining forces for a rootsy take on
Depeche Mode
's "Personal Jesus," while
Seal
offers a compelling version of
Joe Jackson
's "Steppin' Out." All of this is done with impeccable taste, as
mixes analog elements with electronic ones and takes his time building each song with the creativity and passion he is known for. ~ Matt Collar