Julianna Riolino’s sophomore effort, ‘Echo In The Dust,’ released via her own MoonWhistle Records, marks a defiant departure from the cosmic country explored on her debut. While her previous work felt like a meticulous restoration of 1970s Americana, often characterized by the polished, vintage-gold standards she honed while performing with Daniel Romano’s Outfit, this record feels like the intentional breaking of that glass to see how the light refracts through the shards. Where her collaborations with Romano showcased her ability to perfectly inhabit a throwback aesthetic, this solo venture captures an urgent emotional reality, moving beyond literal storytelling to decode her heart in real-time.
This maturation is evident on “Seed”, which anchors the record with brassy flourishes and sharp piano chords that mimic the feeling of a long drive toward an uncertain destination, while the standout “Full Moon,” a collaboration with Alex Edkins, leans into incandescent textures and haunting rhythms to ask existential questions over a psyche-infused rock landscape. The record’s sonic palette is an eccentric collision where Riolino manages to stitch together the velvet-draped melodies of Roy Orbison with the heavy, meditative drones of the band Om, creating a cohesive exploration of tension and release.
This shifting gear is most apparent in the track-by-track architecture; she frequently subverts expectations, such as on “It’s A Shakedown”, which pivots from a rich, twangy ballad into a psychedelic punk jam with a gritty command. Meanwhile, the silkiness of “Smile” relies on a shimmering guitar bed to examine the Narcissus-like trap of modern love, featuring soaring vocals that embody the album’s title. Riolino describes this period as a time of deciphering her own desires within her relationships and creative life, a philosophy of disintegration that finds clarity in the vast horizon of “I Wonder”, where she realizes the profound freedom in letting go of others’ perceptions.
Throughout the eleven tracks, recorded at Gold Standard Recorders in Toronto, Riolino inhabits past sensations only to revive and release them, supported by the lush production of Aaron Goldstein and a cast of dedicated collaborators. The instrumentation reflects this growth; from the upbeat, aural confidence of “Running”, driven by a propulsive rhythm section, to the introspective grace of “On A Bluebird’s Wing”, which uses delicate acoustic layering to serve as a cyclical celebration of personal growth. Compared to the more rigid structures of her earlier work, these arrangements breathe with a new, chaotic life. ‘Echo In The Dust’ is a work of revelation found in the fading light, capturing an artist who has moved out of the shadow of her influences to find her stride, embracing her own contradictions and successfully staying out of her own way.
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