by emma schoors
Animal Sun’s debut record echoes of a dream is an electrifying collection of interconnected yet self-reliant tracks.
“the divide” opens the album, dreamy yet assertive and just the right amount of ominous. There’s something to be said for what seem to be the two types of album openers in today’s music: the first being an explosive, blazing song hellbent on getting the party started, and the second being a more spacious and otherworldly approach. Animal Sun’s debut record falls beautifully under the latter.
Vocalist and songwriter Steven Blake renders the first lines of “can you hear the thunder?”: “Fate has brought us here, beneath the pale afterglow of my despair.” While the first 45 seconds of the track are approached with a definitive hesitancy, it’s this build up that makes the chorus all the more satisfying.
A tenfold increase in energy is just what the doctor ordered in “looking for trouble.” Drummer William Alton gives the song its unrelenting drive and punch. If the exhilaration that steers the first half of the track wasn’t enough, Blake steps back in with a phenomenal high note that sets in motion almost two minutes of gorgeous chaos. Full volume wouldn’t be loud enough to cover how addicting this song is.
Another standout track, which earned its wings long before the release of the entire album, is “girl in blue.” One look at the band’s Spotify stats reveals this song has been listened to over a million times, and it’s more than easy to understand why: blossoming yet tight guitars, and a massive foundation laid by bassist Adam Gardner.
“more than a friend” showcases another side of Animal Sun: the chorus is reminiscent of early 2010’s pop, with a luminous, alternative twist. “high with you” is almost reminiscent of “the divide,” this time with a delicate familiarity and warmth.
echoes of a dream is a record of alternative gold, and makes no bones about its place in modern music. Impactful bass lines, enthralling vocals, and inventive keyboard parts are just some of the elements which congregate to form what is an absolutely incredible debut record.
