Single Review: Sunstinger - Shadows

Scottish quartet Sunstinger reflect on people from their past in their latest single ‘Shadows’. The new material from the Dunfermline and West Fife band was the first track recorded for their upcoming EP ‘Beyond the Frame’ which is out next month. The song is based around a song Taylor Wright, the lead singer, wrote as a late teenager and reflects on people they knew when they were younger.

Speaking about the track, Wright said: “It’s about people we knew while we were younger and how we see them doing the same things now that they were doing back then. The song is about getting past that. Where we are from, it doesn’t happen very often and people often get stuck in a cycle. It’s about temptations and how your decisions have an impact on who you become.”

Opening with a heavily distorted bassline, ‘Shadows’ builds into an energetic track, and paired with Wright’s haunting yet intriguing vocals, the melody is reminiscent of the sounds from classic rock bands like The Cure and My Bloody Valentine.

The message of getting stuck in a cycle and getting past it is captured instantly in the first verse. “This is the place that I don’t want anymore” showcases the idea of being stuck and wanting to get out of the cycle. The haunting theme is equally shown through the lyricism towards the end of the choruses as Wright sings “I wish you were dead and I was alive.”

Upon first listening to the song, it goes unnoticed how dark the lyrics are due to the production of the track as the vocals are quieter than expected of a studio track. The song sounds like you are listening to it across a hazy, bustling, late night bar - almost like the band are rehearsing the song rather than recording it in a studio. This creative decision is what further emphasises the track sounding similar to the sounds of songs by The Cure as the instruments are the main focal point that are shining throughout.

While Sunstinger is following in the footsteps of some great shoegaze bands like My Bloody Valentine, ‘Shadows’ is a refreshing experience and shows that the band is relentless in the experimentation of the subgenre.

Words: Shannon Garner