“When faith leads you to a point where you’ve got something you want to share, the natural thing is to step forward and say ‘Send me’. That’s exactly what Echo The Light have done with this song, turning that desire to serve into a very positive, uplifting worship song about purpose, about service and about using the gifts that God has given us.”
With their debut single “Send Me”, family band Echo The Light are introducing the faith and purpose that underpins their music. The song is all about surrender, being willing and responding to God’s call. It was written as a prayer during a time of worship by lead vocalist and keyboardist Jessie Schat, asking God to use her talents and to send her out to wherever He would have her. The end result is a song which is a call to believers to not keep their faith to themselves but to let it be evident in the way they live and serve.
The whole point is hammered home in the bridge of the song where Jessie is talking about the gifts and abilities that God has given each of us. Her inspiration came from the idea that you don’t necessarily have to be called to be a missionary in order to be a part of the work. Everyone has a part to play in reaching out to people and in sharing their faith. That’s a crucial distinction because “Send Me” isn’t really about waiting for some big moment, some dramatic opportunity. It’s about being willing to go and do something whenever you have the opportunity to encourage someone, to help someone or to bring someone else closer to God. That’s what gives the song its uplifting quality and it’s the very real nature of the message that makes it work. The music really does help to carry that message. Echo The Light are combining atmospheric modern worship guitars with some country and Americana flourishes to produce a very expansive and at the same time very familiar sound. Chris Schat is the main guitarist and bassist in the band and he’s largely responsible for building the instrumental bed around Jessie’s vocals and her keyboard work. One thing that really stands out is the overdriven guitar which comes in from the second chorus. It adds a lot of heft and energy to the song and is a key part of the way the song builds as the message progresses. The production gives it a very full rock feel without in any way compromising the worship atmosphere at its heart. The Derek Mehl drums are also a huge part of the record in terms of shaping it. As a very good drummer he brings the necessary rhythmic drive to underpin the guitars and the vocals and the whole thing just works. The band chemistry is by no means something that’s happened overnight. Chris, Jessie and Derek have been playing together for about 18 years now, initially meeting through family links and just hanging out in Chris’s mother’s music room doing informal jam sessions. They’ve been through two bands and all that time together before they’ve finally come together as Echo The Light.
The recording was done at Bell Labs in Norman, OK (a studio that’s been very much part of the group’s history since 2009). Trent Bell has been the producer on a number of the band’s projects over the years including the Walking Relic stuff. His role on “Send Me” was far more than just capturing the band’s performance. He was involved in the shaping of the guitar tones and brought a number of ideas to the production. There was one particular thing that happened to the end of the song during the recording process. The initial intention was to just let it fade out. Jessie felt there was something to be gained from the extra instrumental sections so Trent played around with the end until everyone was happy with the final outcome. That decision gives the track a much more definitive ending and allows the final few moments to really carry the message of the song. “Send Me” is a really good introduction to what Echo The Light are all about. The name is such a clear statement of their intent. They are the echo of the light of God. They are not going to hoard it, they are going to be the echo of that light and share it. That’s the whole point. It’s a song that is both a statement of faith and an invitation to live. That’s what they are doing with their music. It’s not just about making music, it’s about helping people to discover their gifts, to step forward and to find a way to make a difference.
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