Lord Echo

Mike August, who records under the Lord Echo moniker and also goes by Mike Fabulous, crafts tracks that blend and traverse lesser-known pockets of vintage disco, funk, rocksteady, and assorted African and Latin styles, underscoring his affinity for dub through the chosen alias. Hailing from Wellington, New Zealand, August has performed with the Black Seeds and Shogun Orchestra. His first full-length project under the Lord Echo name, Melodies, arrived in 2010 and included sporadic vocal contributions from bandmate Toby Laing and Lisa Tomlins. Tomlins led a rendition of Sister Sledge’s “Thinking of You” that resembled an unreleased track from the Soul Jazz label’s Hustle! Reggae Disco compilation. Laing and Tomlins returned for the follow-up releases Curiosities (2013) and Harmonies (2017), joined by additional musicians that included Electric Wire Hustle’s Mara TK.