I first discovered Dublin’s Sun Mahshene via their split seven-inch single with fellow Irish psych legends Thee UFO. That single was released by Fuzzed Up and Astromoon records. Those of you who follow this blog will know how much I love that label. That was swiftly followed by Space Echoes, a collection of their previous EP’s. That cemented my obsession with this band’s music. Then silence. That was until a few months back when they announced their debut album was imminent. Needless to say, excitement levels here in the clubhouse went through the roof.
Sun Mahshene are Nathan Henderson (Guitar & Vocals), Robert Crosbie (Guitar & Backing Vocals), Ian McGinn (Guitar), David Hilliard (Bass & Backing Vocals), David Murray (Drums) and Asia Wolf (Synths & Vocals). With members from Ireland, the UK and Poland the band are a melting pot of influences. They cite influences such as Ride and The War On Drugs and describe their music as Post Shoegaze, which interests me a lot. This album has been mastered by none other than Mark Gardener from the aforementioned Ride.
Singer Nathan has this to say on what has influenced the writing of this record.
“A lot of the lyrics are about escaping, but at the same time a lot of them are about being rooted, finding ‘home’, whatever that may be. A track like “World”, with the lyric “the world will grind you down” might sound defeatist, but it’s really about focusing on those who you love and want to keep close in times of trouble.”
Ok, lets drop the needle on this one and see what we have in store.
Straight out the gate we have ‘Deep Red Skies’ and the evolution in the band’s sound crystalises immediately. This is next level songwriting. The production values are sky high; guitars sound enormous, synths sound killer and Henderson’s vocals soar into that chorus. It’s a chorus you will find yourself singing without thinking. This is music for a big stage, like a BIG stage. Sun Mahshene are here for your heart and soul and they ain’t leaving without them.
Next up is single ‘Reverie’. This is a pacy number that has instant ear appeal. Reputedly the song that cemented the sonic theme for this record it carries on that larger-than-life quality. The dynamic change between the pulsing bass in the verses to the offbeat stabs of the chorus is really satisfying. I’ve seen comparisons made to Oasis made by other writers but frankly that’s fucking ludicrous. The diverse approach to how to dynamically structure their songs and the meaningful and thoughtful lyrics place Sun Mahshene waaaaay above their league. Way. Above.
‘Pale Azure’ taps into a Besnard Lakes groove. Straddling the psychedelic and shoegaze worlds all at once. The simplicity of the intro belies the complexity of the chorus and melodic instrumental break to come. I particularly love that seamless change between verse and chorus. It takes you a wee minute for your ear to catch up. I really dig that.
Following this we have the sweeping and cavernous instrumental, ‘Fluorescent’. The lead guitar with that delicious bit of glide playing really appeals to an old gazer like me. The spoken word sections add another, lighter texture later taken up by some tinkly keyboards. On the whole this is a driving, guttural guitar track that I can only imagine will melt faces when played live.
‘World’ up next is a two hander between Henderson and Wolf. This song really taps into the bands Gaelic heritage whilst retaining that edgy rock sound. Like Henderson said earlier even though they’re singing “The world will grind you down” it still sounds utterly euphoric. This is another example of a song starting stripped back and blossoming into a massive singalong. This will play so well on a festival stage.
The pace ain’t letting up as the band rip into ‘New Shores’. The contrast between the laidback vocal delivery to the galloping guitars and powerhouse drum performance from Murray is utterly spellbinding. Bet he broke his sticks on this one! The lush backing vocals and bass punctuating the spaces with a carefully crafted line or two will have you smiling ear to ear.
On the following track the band say “’Turning Tide’ is an empowering anthem about breaking free from the chains of a toxic relationship. The song’s poignant lyrics detail the journey from heartbreak to self-liberation.” The vocal delivery is straight from the heart on this one. Punchy and full of feeling. Synth strings in the verses give way to towering guitars and a wall of sound that lifts you off your feet. This is a potent track and it gets me in the feels every time.
The album comes to a close all too soon with ‘Rise’. Opening on a Casio tone bossa nova beat it immediately stands out. It reappears throughout the track in the quieter sections and it bloody works. Against that epic swell of the band in full flight, it’s the last song and they ain’t leaving anything on the page. Everyone turns in stellar performances. Especially in the coda, everything and the kitchen sink gets hit, strummed or blown and it’s just magnificent. That’s how you close an album.
A Place We’ve Never Been is an absolute joy. I’ve been waiting for this album to come out for a while now and my expectations were high based on their previous work. I’m so pleased to report that my expectations were exceeded, by miles. This album has been put together with real love and care. The songs sit well together and you feel like you go on a musical voyage from start to finish. There’s no doubting this bands ambition. The songs all sound massive. Sun Mahshene are already prepared for their arena tour. I’ll be there in the front row lighter aloft! Last thought from me can only be one thing, what I always comment on the social media posts. Mon e Mahshene!!
A Place We’ve Never Been is set for release on 23rd August 2024 on Fuzzed Up and Astromoon Records. Pre order for the vinyl has sold out from the label but a very limited amount is available now from the Sun Mahshene Bandcamp page.
You can follow Sun Mahshene on social media here…
Photo Credit
Photosbydavy
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