They met as carefree students in Cambridge, but Echo Trails are now pursuing their music dream in north London.

On Saturday they launched their début album, Ode to the Familiar Strangers, at Jam in a Jar in Haringey.

Viola player Jules Vaughan who lives in the Seven Sisters area says: “It was an awesome evening and we want to thank everyone who showed up.“

They started writing the album at university and it has taken two years to record and refine it ready for release.

“The album is quite a mix of genres,“ says Jules. “And it takes influences from all over the world.

“We have been described using words like eclectic and new folk.“ She says the five-piece genre-bridging sound comes from the way they were gradually formed. Starting out as a three-piece with herself, Peter Mansfield on drums and Dimitra Tzanakaki on vocals and piano, then adding Iakovos Loukas on double bass and Andrew Hosker on guitar later.

Jules says their dream is to now be signed by a record label.

“All except one of us have moved here to pursue our music dream because there is so much more opportunity here and Cambridge is really going through a venue crisis.“

The 22-year-old who grew up in Amersham and Berkhampsted started playing violin aged eight and swapped to viola when she was 15.

“I've always dreamed of having a career in music and to finally have the début album out is amazing.“

The album is available through bandcamp.com.

Echo Trails will be playing their next gig at The Dublin Castle in Camden Town on Friday, February 21. Details: echotrails.com