Sun's Signature EP

Sun's Signature

Sun's Signature sees the return of Cocteau Twins vocalist Elizabeth Fraser, who's output over the last thirteen years has been relatively sparse. Along with her partner Damon Reece, the two deliver a rather otherworldly and spiritual batch of songs. Underwater is quite the suspenseful opener and boasts so many different sounds that it makes it really difficult to keep track. I particularly like how this track opens with its eerie music box melodies, some suspenseful John Carpenter-esque bass pads, and industrial-tinged clatter. Golden Air, on the other hand, is the musical equivalent of bathing in the sun's warm rays. The chorus has this lush seventies psychedelia vibe going on with 'twelve string' guitar synth patch, the ghostly reversed vocals in the background, and the sunburnt, fuzzy guitars that will randomly pop in with a very tasteful lick.

I also liked the more acoustic direction of Apples which, again, has so many musical layers coming and going. The mood is a little somber, especially when most of the instrumentation drops away to highlight the somber, finger-picked guitar. The last two minutes of the track are where things start to open up a little with brighter and more full layers, and this section also feature some of my favourite melodies on the entire project. There's so much instrumental variety here, but none of the instrumentation can quite compare to the joy of hearing Fraser's voice. It is so angelic, and I find that she typically opts to sing the melodies you would least expect. For that reason, Fraser is one of those special vocalists who really captures your attention.

There were two tracks that I wasn't completely enamoured with. Bluedusk did have a bit of a Tuscan flair to it's instrumentation but ultimately I didn't think it was as adventurous melodically as the rest of the tunes. Make Lovely the Day was the other, a brief flamenco guitar ballad that is performed quite well, although Fraser tends to just follow the guitars lead as far as vocal melodies go. Still though, Sun's Signature's debut EP was a very pleasant experience filled with warmth, wonder, and curiosity. I would love to hear new music from the duo, perhaps in a full-length album capacity, in the near future.