In the press release for Little Miss Echo’s recent single “Hover,” the Boston-based dream pop quartet boldly stated their collective interest in acts such as My Bloody Valentine, Yo La Tengo, Brian Wilson, and Stereolab. The title itself sounds like it could have served as a lost MBV track. As someone with a lifelong love for indie rock landmarks Loveless and I Can Hear the Heart Beating As One—not to mention the groundbreaking, occasionally baffling excursions of the Beach Boys c. 1965–1977—they immediately grabbed my attention. I’m additionally pleased to offer that they managed to hold it throughout the four minutes and twenty-one seconds of this lively and colorful new track.
“Hover” starts out with a bang, fuzzed-out guitars turned up to 11 and layered with varying amounts of reverb and delay. Wispy vocals hover above the din, while an insistent rhythm section carries the proceedings. Harmonies add brief color and texture that converge to serve as a unified supporting instrument in the mix. Every voice is given equal footing here, with all parts forming a greater, comprehensive whole as the song ambles along.
I suppose it is apt that they have proffered their love for Yo La Tengo and Brian Wilson specifically—the song very much recalls the dreamy distortion employed by the former in their reading of the latter’s “Little Honda.” By the song’s conclusion, the band has moved into ambient territory, guiding “Hover” from its well-packaged cacophony into a pocket symphony of sorts, easing the listener out of a particularly vivid dream.
Written by Jacob Simons
