Review: SoftSun ‘Eternal Sunrise’
SoftSun are wasting little time in trying to stamp their mark on the scene. For a band that only came into existence some two years ago, they are already unveiling their second album in the form of the rich and sumptuous Eternal Sunrise.
The meeting of minds between Yawning Man guitar wizard Gary Arce, a man whose musical output has been a staple of my writing for The Shaman these last sixteen years, and Pia Isa/Superlynx bass/vocalist Pia Isaksen would produce something special, something truly other in a genre that can often fall into familiar ruts.
A little over a year on from the powerful Daylight In The Dark, an album that blended the crushing power of Isaken’s bass and startling otherworldly vocal talents with Arce’s delicate, gossamer light melodies slid effortlessly into my top ten of 2024. And now they’re back, looking to recreate the magic that managed to capture the stark, beautiful isolation of both their native lands: One a sun-bleached, sandy desert and the other a wintery landscape of ice and snow.
On the debut album, the duo were rounded out by studio owner and talented drummer Dan Joeright, who would help add a crisp, driving flourish to the gliding sweep of the ethereal doomgaze. Eternal Sunrise sees Robert Garson step ably into the fray; Garson also being the owner of one Red Barn Recorders studio, where he captured and contributed to the sound of this new album, as well as joining them on their upcoming EU tour with Arce’s main band.
Where Daylight In The Dark succeeded as a bolt from the blue, SoftSun’s sophomore album has a greater hill to climb, carrying the weight of expectation to live up to its predecessor. Suffice to say, fans of the first release will be pleased to discover that these six tracks deliver the same mysterious, laidback, experimental vibe, but have sought to refine and develop the very essence of this unique project.
Sacred Heart opens the album, the pinging strains of the guitar immediately catapulting us back to that haunting, alien world that they introduced the listener to last time out. As the slow drift opens up, like the first rays of sunlight on icy leaves, Isaken’s voice emerges from the isolation to bring a warmth and guiding light to comfort you.
Garson’s drumming is slow and methodical, never overpowering, but stamping the track with enough authority. Once more, the music is patient and slow; nothing is rushed in the dreamy haze that manages to feel both weighty with emotion and yet as light as air.
Eternal Sunrise doesn’t deliver any dramatic shocks; there is nothing that is going to noticeably break the style and cadence they established on their debut. However, they have taken that blueprint and expanded on the subtle textures within.
SoftSun once again take you on a journey that remains long after the inertia has stopped…
On A Hundred And Sixteen, the glacial, deep droning resonance of the bass is swelled by the precision and anchor of the drums as the guitar winds around the sound, ebbing and flowing in an atmosphere that is as passive, but as vital as breath itself. The delicate wash of the guitar sits behind that incredible tone of the main notes to fill the space, whilst the reverb and delays give that flowing, continuous sound that lingers mesmerisingly as they transition from one passage to the next.
The bright indie-like leads on Anywhere But Here recall some of the more dynamic work on Ceremony To The Sunset, the first album of Arce’s collaboration with Kent’s Sons of Alpha Centauri (Yawning Sons), in a similar upbeat, wistfully yearning manner. Isaken’s vocals match this feeling as they are lighter and more accessible with the delivery of lines, like the track title ringing with conviction.
This more deliberate feel doesn’t take away from the smoky ‘dusk til dawn’ concept that the band has strived for. There are times when the trio feel rawer and darker than on the previous release. Sleep The Day Away is a moodier piece with dampened reverb and a stronger contrast to the clean soloing notes that feel like they are straining skyward from the sultry, downbeat vocals. This contrast of softness versus distortion and humming bass frequency never feels forced or like any element is fighting against another. Somehow SoftSun once again take you on a journey that remains long after the inertia has stopped.
Abandoned Lands almost breaks from the mould with the playful, tapped rhythmic tribal pulse of the toms against the trilling guitar, giving the track a patter and a busyness that contrasts with the languid pace of the vocals. Isaken’s slow and deliberate delivery stretches the lyrics over the music in densely layered harmonies to create that signature sound and feel.
The fading light of Cremation Sunlight gives one more opportunity for SoftSun to take flight over the emotional peaks and valleys of the Californian desert and Norwegian fjords they draw inspiration from. The continuous flow laps over the listener with scratched string tones, bass like a heartbeat and the crisp drums as Pia intones about signs of summer and dragonflies in one final dream-like, immersive piece.
As the sun sets on the album, the feeling it invokes lingers long after, its gorgeous laid-back vibes proving that the chemistry between Arce and Isaksen – which began when they collaborated on her solo material – is instinctual, despite their differing geographic origins, and as natural as the rising and setting of the sun
If you are seeking immediate, instant gratification, you might find the slow-burning nature and absence of more traditional song structures are not for you. But if you connected with their breathtaking debut, then Eternal Sunrise will further your love for the project, as repeated plays will deepen your understanding of the nuances SoftSun have added here.
Label: Heavy Psych Sounds
Band Links: Facebook | Bandcamp | Spotify | Instagram
Scribed by: Mark Hunt-Bryden
