We feel as though there’s a lot in common between Sundialler and us. We both believe in the power of sonic frequencies. The way they hit the human brain is unique, expanding our consciousness and sparking memories and deep-rooted imagery. This is always more prevalent than songwriting’s literary aspect, which travels through a completely different medium (which might be more relevant to some people, that’s all very personal). This is just to say, the cathartic power of music doesn’t necessarily require lyrics; that’s exactly where Sundialler begins his creative journey.
Exploring boundary-pushing sonic textures and hazy atmospheres, the New Zealand-based producer and composer crafts a long, compelling album, ‘Pine’, a collection of abstract and electronic pieces ranging from slow-moving, beatless soundscapes to more conventional, uplifting numbers. Describing the record’s overall identity as “really washed-out and heat-wave-y”, Sundialler hints at a vivid fever-dream, an aural experience steeped in bright, sultry tones and placed into a limitless auditory panorama.
Avant-garde jewels such as ‘My Little Garden’, built on a series of kaleidoscopic arpeggios and field recordings, co-exist with more conventional numbers, such as the leftfield gem ‘Flicker’. Overall, the tracklist is well-balanced and substantial, a nugget of escapism in an otherwise gloomy, harsh reality. As Sundialler explains: “I don’t really like to make music that tells stories, as such – though I respect that storytelling is a big part of musical history, of course. I like to focus instead on creating a kind of musical environment, one that you can just explore on your own terms without necessarily being tied to any narrative.”
Recommended! Discover ‘Pine’ on Bandcamp and Spotify:
