IO Echo

Io Echo, the creative endeavor uniting Ioanna Gika with Leopold Ross, fuses atmospheric synth pop and Asian sonorities that feature the Japanese koto together with Chinese violins. Presented to Gika by a shared acquaintance, Ross—who also handles bass duties for the Big Pink—quickly joined her in crafting songs shaped by the Velvet Underground, 1990s industrial music, and further reference points. After issuing their debut EP in October 2012, the duo shared stages with Bloc Party, Nine Inch Nails, Cults, and Zola Jesus. Their first full-length album, Ministry of Love, followed the next April and coincided with a tour supporting Garbage.