Echo Image

{{Infobox musical artist

| name = Echo Image

| origin = Fredrikstad, Norway

| genre = Synth-pop, futurepop

| years_active = 1997–present

| label = Bloodline, A Different Drum, Hard:Drive, HolmByKarlsen Rekords, Kvarts Musikk, Pitch Black Drive

| associated_acts = Apoptygma Berzerk

| current_members = Pål-Magnus Rybom

| past_members = Jon-Ivar Berg, Trine Bilet, Fredrik Hansen, Lars Kristian Holt

}}

Echo Image is a Norwegian synthpop band from Fredrikstad. The band started in the summer of 1997 when Pål Magnus Rybom and Jon-Ivar Berg started experimenting with electronic music. That summer the two of them recorded a demo. Berg left the group after they failed attract the attention of record labels and went to focus on his music project Biozide. Later that year Fredrik Hansen joined and Echo Image was officially formed with Trine Bilet joining towards the end of the year providing backing vocals, keyboards, and synthesizers.{{cite web |title=History |url=http://www.echoimage.com/history.html |website=echo image - official website |accessdate=9 May 2020 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080724095854/http://www.echoimage.com/history.html |archivedate=24 July 2008}}{{cite web |title=History |url=http://www.echoimage.com/history.html |website=Echo Image |accessdate=9 May 2020 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20010726111946/http://www.echoimage.com/history.html |archivedate=26 July 2001}}

In December 1998, Echo Image recorded the Walkout EP, which was sold locally through a label called Kvarts Musikk. Their musical style didn't really suit Kvarts, whose catalog consisted of punk, prog, and lo-fi music; so in 2000 they signed to US synthpop label A Different Drum with the German label Bloodline releasing their music in Europe. Around this time Lars Kristian Holt joined as live guitarist and became a full-time member in July 2001.

The 2000 single Need to Be Proud was mixed by Apoptygma Berzerk frontman Stephan Groth. Compuphonic was released in 2001 and peaked at #28 on the CMJ RPM Charts in the U.S.{{cite journal |last1=Comer |first1=M. Tye |title=RPM |journal=CMJ New Music Report |date=4 June 2001 |volume=67 |issue=717 |page=15 |url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/CMJ/2001/CMJ-719-2001-06-04.pdf |access-date=24 January 2022 |publisher=College Media, Inc. |location=New York, NY |issn=0890-0795}} After releasing Compuphonic simultaneously on A Different Drum and Bloodline, they signed with Hard:Drive and released the Endless Day single in 2002. Echo Image accompanied Apoptygma Berzerk on the Harmonizer tour in 2002. Hansen left the band in 2004 due to creative differences and to focus on his education. Around the same time, the band announced that they were working on a new album and released a teaser for the song "My Sense of Emptiness".{{cite web |title= News |website=echo image - official website |url=http://www.echoimage.com/ |accessdate=9 May 2020 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080512092408/http://www.echoimage.com/ |archivedate=12 May 2008}}

The 2001 Single Skulk, which included a cover of Limahl's song "The NeverEnding Story", was also featured in the dancing games Dance Dance Revolution ULTRAMIX 2{{cite web |title=Dance Dance Revolution ULTRAMIX2 (Xbox) (North America) - Game Database - DanceDanceRevolution |url=https://zenius-i-vanisher.com/v5.2/gamedb.php?gameid=364 |website=Zenius -I- vanisher -5th style- II |accessdate=9 May 2020 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160415010356/http://zenius-i-vanisher.com/v5.2/gamedb.php?gameid=364 |archivedate=15 April 2016}} and the Konami remix in Dance Dance Revolution ULTRAMIX 4,{{cite web |title=Dance Dance Revolution ULTRAMIX4 (Xbox) (North America) - Game Database - DanceDanceRevolution |url=https://zenius-i-vanisher.com/v5.2/gamedb.php?gameid=351 |website=Zenius -I- vanisher -5th style- II |accessdate=9 May 2020 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160609065941/https://zenius-i-vanisher.com/v5.2/gamedb.php?gameid=351 |archivedate=9 June 2016}} both for the Xbox video-game system.

In July 2010, a new demo song, "Things I Know" was released to YouTube, along with a new interview of Pål Magnus Rybom who mentioned that he is working on a new Echo Image album.{{cite web |title=Interview (Video): Echo Image |url=http://www.nerotunes.com/2010/07/interview-video-echo-image/ |website=NEROTUNES |accessdate=9 May 2020 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100725115327/http://www.nerotunes.com/2010/07/interview-video-echo-image/ |archivedate=25 July 2010}}

On 1 October 2010, Echo Image played a live concert at ElektroStat.{{cite web |last1=Eliasson |first1=Tobias |title=ElektroStat, Månefisken, Oslo, Norway, October 1-2, 2010 |url=http://releasemagazine.net/Reports/elektrostat10.htm |website=Release Music Magazine |accessdate=9 May 2020 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20170812214540/http://releasemagazine.net/Reports/elektrostat10.htm |archivedate=12 August 2017}}

In April 2016, vinyl-only compilation, Compulation, was released on the label HolmByKarlsen Rekords. It features the previously unreleased track, "Frame of Mind".{{cite web |last1=Van Isacker |first1=Bernard |title=Norwegian synthpop act Echo Image returns after 14 years of silence with vinyl only release 'Compulation' |url=https://www.side-line.com/norwegian-synthpop-act-echo-image-returns-after-14-years-of-silence-with-vinyl-only-release-compulation/ |website=Side-Line Music Magazine |accessdate=9 May 2020 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20170922090538/http://www.side-line.com/norwegian-synthpop-act-echo-image-returns-after-14-years-of-silence-with-vinyl-only-release-compulation/ |archivedate=22 September 2017}}

In January 2020, the band signed to Apoptygma Berzerk's label Pitch Black Drive and re-released all of their old material digitally. They also announced that they were working on a new single.{{cite web |title=Echo Image |url=https://www.facebook.com/echoimage.no/posts/10157717675151745 |website=Facebook |accessdate=9 May 2020 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20200509202959/https://www.facebook.com/echoimage.no/posts/10157717675151745 |archivedate=9 May 2020 |language=en}}

In March 2021, a new single, Walk My Mind, was released, five and a half years after a short clip of the song was featured on Echo Image's Facebook page.{{cite web |title=First single from Echo Image in 20 years |url=https://www.releasemagazine.net/first-single-from-echo-image-in-20-years/ |accessdate=21 May 2021}}