Erica Eso’s new record Songs In My Pocket Like Grains of Sand feels darker and more complex than his previous album 192 (2022), and it shares similarities with his debut 2019 (2015). But on this new release, he pushes experimentation even further – blending synthesizers with percussion, vocals, brass, and sounds from nature.
Weston Minissali, a composer, singer, and producer based in Kingston, New York, has been making genre-defying music under the name Erica Eso since 2015. His fourth album was released on May 27, 2025.
The album opens with »Look Around«, where he sings over swinging, rhythmic, looping synths. At times, it feels as if the synths are responding to his voice. »Follow It Around« merges natural sounds with techno beats and vocals. Booming hits in the background make it feel like you’re walking through a cave.
»Archetype Found« recalls the indie band Two Door Cinema Club—only softer. It sounds as if the New Yorker is singing through a telephone receiver. Every track on this record is a distinctive sound collage. »Skeleton Pressed« evokes Radiohead and could easily be part of a sci-fi soundtrack.
Erica Eso takes his time across these eleven tracks, letting sounds resonate and slowly build tension. There’s a lot of looping, and even more unfolding. The lyrics are poetic, made up of scattered words and fragments. Time and again, the New Yorker breaks listening conventions – you never quite know what’s coming next.
