Return Records Welcomes Conner Eko

Return Records completes another major signing by bringing up-and-coming talent Conner Eko to the label! Conner is an emerging indie synth pop singer-songwriter located in the Bay Area, California. His debut single and music video, “SINK”, was released on August 3, 2021. His musical influences are vast and range from David Bowie, U2, Jeff Buckley, Coldplay, INXS, John Coltrane, Peter Gabriel, Muddy Waters, James Brown, Al Green, Art Blakey, Grizfolk, Tears for Fears, Dustin O’Halloran, and many others. 


Eko participated in other musical projects as a singer-songwriter, but has been away from music for seven years. During this time away, he spent time as a high school science teacher, and most recently began working on a PhD in astrophysics. He studies planets around other stars and thinks about the idea of life elsewhere in the universe. Although Eko’s science pursuits are exciting, the hiatus away from music and songwriting deeply affected him and increased his struggles with a lifelong battle with depression and anxiety. 

In March 2021, everything changed when a serendipitous accident gave Eko a traumatic brain injury, which led to developing post-concussion syndrome and an increase in depression and other health problems. Forced to take a leave of absence from his PhD and many other activities, he found solace and healing in music. With writing and playing music being one of the few things that he could do that wouldn’t result in headaches and other concussion symptoms, Eko began to craft new songs and completed his debut single, SINK. 

Conner Eko is currently working on a debut album featuring music that will tell his own personal story, his battle with depression, as well as include philosophical themes and metaphors relating to humanity and our place on Earth and in the cosmos. He plans to record this effort in the fall of 2021 while he recovers from his injury and hopes to release the debut album in early 2022.

Listen to Conner Eko on Spotify