Seattle-based indie rockers Sunnyland have followed up their widely regarded EP 1 with EP 2, their latest release.
Melodic guitars gently introduce the first track, All Time, before the vocals kick in, coating the song in a thick cloud of sadness, paired alongside the anchoring lyric “Nothing is okay”, giving listeners the perfect song for when they’re needing a release from the harshness of the world.
Carrying the song out, all of the instruments work together to make for a comforting and intimate song that gets you ready for whatever follows.
Much heavier Starry breaks cuts through the gentleness of All Time like a knife. Dripping with anger and sarcasm, it makes for a cathartic listen, allowing them to release their pent-up emotions.
The band knows how to use their sound to elevate their tracks extremely well. The tiny guitar solos that litter the song, amidst the rhythm section, help to truly cement the song as one of the best on the whole of EP 2.
A song about leaving the past behind, it lets you look forward to what’s coming next on this stunning EP.
Cemetery Man is a complete tonal shift, allowing Sunnyland to really flex their musicianship and talent. The guitars at the start of the song provide an almost dream-pop, ethereal vibe to the intro, which sets the stage for a fantastic listen. Despite the melancholic vocals, which detail the pain of letting the one you love go, even though it’s for the best, the song has a toe-tapping quality to it, allowing listeners to resonate with the song in a more upbeat way, despite the overall message.
The swelling of sound that builds up in the middle provides a climactic ending, leaving you wishing that the EP were a whole lot longer.
The longest and most beautiful song on EP 2, “Turning Over Stones“, explores the pain of wanting to be loved despite knowing that it’s not coming, or that you’re looking in the wrong places. The band really come into their own on this track, the marching beat from the drums drives the song forward, and the soft vocalisation that can be heard throughout the song is a prime example of this.
The use of the piano adds to the haunting beauty of the song, and the symphony of sound that wraps up the track compels listeners to put the EP on repeat.
Sunnyland’s EP 2 is a stunning showcase of the band’s hard work and dedication to their craft, excellently demonstrating the themes of love, loss, and desperation to find the former again.
Written by Madi Briggs
