French progressive rock powerhouse Lalu are thrilled to unveil an instrumental version of the track “EKO”, featuring Asia’s drummer Virgil Donati, originally appearing on their latest album, “A Mythmaker’s Demise”, out now via Frontiers Music Srl.
Vivien Lalu commented: “EKO was always the “machine’s song”. Martin wrote those lyrics as a robot, so taking the vocals away didn’t feel like removing something, it felt like letting that voice speak in its own language. Virgil Donati came in with his own vocabulary on this one, a phrasing and a sense of construction that belong only to him, and it gives the track a completely different reading.”
“That led Joop in a new direction when it came to the guitars and bass. Jens Johansson also plays one of my favourite solos on the record”, he added. “There is a nice irony in it: the song about a machine waking up to a new life, is the one carried entirely by human hands, unedited, with no drum samples. Exactly what this album is about.”
Joop Wolters said: “Love the halftime feel of this track… Gives it a soothing character. This instrumental version proves that the bone structure of the track is strong enough to make two convincing versions. Wonderful interpretations by the involved cast on this one!”
Stream “EKO (Instrumental version feat. Virgil Donati)” HERE
Order “A Mythmaker’s Demise” HERE
“EKO (Instrumental Version)” is a new instrumental interpretation of a track originally featured on the acclaimed album “A Mythmaker’s Demise”, released in July.
Stripping away the vocals places the composition itself firmly in the spotlight, revealing the intricate interplay, dynamics and musicianship at the heart of the track. Built around the creative partnership of Vivien Lalu and longtime collaborator Joop Wolters on guitars and bass, “EKO (Instrumental Version)” offers a fresh perspective on one of the pieces from an album created to celebrate 20 years of Lalu.
Adding another dimension to the track is the unmistakable drumming of Virgil Donati, whose extraordinary technical command and musicality bring both power and intricacy to “EKO”. With the vocals removed, the instrumental version gives the arrangement even more room to breathe, allowing the rhythmic detail and interaction between Donati, Lalu and Wolters to come fully to the fore.
As with “A Mythmaker’s Demise”, the emphasis is firmly on organic performance. Vivien Lalu and Joop Wolters approached the music from the ground up, favouring dynamic arrangements and natural performances over heavy production or studio perfectionism.
“We wanted this record to feel alive. No drum samples, next to no EQ, just real performances captured in their natural state”, explained Vivien Lalu.
Joop Wolters added: “There has always been undeniable musical synergy between Viv and myself. This album came together very naturally.”
The original “EKO” appears on “A Mythmaker’s Demise”, the milestone album marking the 20th anniversary of Vivien Lalu’s progressive rock project. Beginning with “Oniric Metal” in 2005, Lalu’s story has developed through two decades of collaboration, experimentation and progressive musicianship.
With “EKO (Instrumental Version)”, Lalu invites listeners back inside that world from a different angle – putting the composition, performance and instrumental conversation centre stage.
Line Up:
Joop Wolters – Guitars, bass
Virgil Donati – Drums
Vivien Lalu – Keyboards
Jens Johansson – Guest keyboard solo
