Review: The Sunshine Underground - 'The Sunshine Underground'

tsu Majestic.

If it was possible, this review would end there. Not that there is nothing else to say about the new self-titled Sunshine Underground album, but more that sometimes saying it isn’t necessary.

‘The Sunshine Underground‘ is unlike anything the band have previously released; their dance-infused indie rock is gone, in its place is something not infused, or influenced, just what it is – a dance album.

Or more specifically an electronic album, as merely attaching the label ‘dance’ does what we have here no justice. Many bands have tried new directions, but rarely so bravely and successfully. In recent times ‘reinvention’ in music has become almost a dirty word, used cynically to garner new fans or shore up ailing careers, and invariably it amounts to nothing more than a new wardrobe.

The Sunshine Underground, though, have not reinvented themselves, they have reinvented their music, seemingly leaving nothing of what came before, but to what end? To let the music speak for itself.

It feels like the culmination of all their passions and ambitions, all their experiences and influences. Nothing is wasted and they bring all of this to bare over ten extremely focused tracks. It is a lean record, no filler, no wasted space, all the tracks are concise and clean. The influences are everywhere, but are so broad it is astonishing, almost like a lecture on the history of electronica.

You can hear traces of the last 40 years, anything from ‘Clinic‘ and Ladytron to new wave such as Human League and Heaven 17, to early hip-hop pioneers like Afrika Bambaataa and Whodini, to suggestions of a love of synth soundtrack legends like John Carpenter and Dario Argento’s favourites Goblin. Ever more and ever deeper. Even the album’s greatest moment, ‘It’s Only You‘, begins with what appears to be a drum sample from Trio’s incredibly kitsch 80’s hit ‘Da-Da-Da‘.

Yet although all these influences, and more, are there, they are not what is central to this record. What is central are the tracks themselves. Each is extraordinarily detailed, with every aspect adding to the music – there is nothing superfluous anywhere.

‘Start‘ is a bold statement of intention and leaves no misconceptions. ‘Finally We Arrive‘ may sound like the Human League, but is also wonderfully sleazy and debauched in a way those predecessors could never achieve. ‘Don’t Stop‘ is awesome; funky and filled with menace, with something of hip-hop’s earliest stylings.

‘Nothing To Fear‘ and ‘The Same Old Ghost‘ continue the synth feel, where yet more Human League and even Bronski Beat elements abound, but never feeling gauche or feigned. They are authentic and appealing in every way. ‘Here Comes The Storm‘ closes, and also becomes the record’s emotional anchor.

And yet all these wonderful moments are eclipsed by the aforementioned ‘It’s Only You’; both most like their earlier material and somehow the most progressive sounding at the same time.

A love of dance and electronic has led The Sunshine Underground to make an album born from its earliest and purest influences, a tribute to the pioneers of the form. The music is simple and sparkling, resonating with the purest and truest ideals of dance, wonderfully simple sounding, with a euphoric beauty that is unsurpassed by their previous work.

Pondering whether or not influences saturate here misses the true majesty of what they have accomplished, but this doesn’t mean the influences are not there, they are there proud and for all to see.

The LP is not of those artists, and never tries to be. It is the just The Sunshine Underground. Even with the dramatic volt-face in style they still retain all that made them so distinct and exciting in the first place. Nothing is the same, but it is all wonderfully familiar. This is made from their passions, and feels like what they always intended to make.

And that is a wonderful intention.