Swedish indie rockers The Sun Days are picking up where label-mates, Makthaverskan, left off. While the latter's got a bit more drive and aggression to them, the former, as seen on their debut LP here, have smartly cultivated a dream-pop brand which really opens doors for those craving more Euro-centric takes on the genre. Album feels like a breath of fresh air for those who've already fallen in love with the likes of Slingshot Dakota, Tancred and Field Mouse, despite being released last summer. Run For Cover have decided that it's a good time to bring a summer album your way and it's a pretty great decision.
They focus on a simple yet beautiful sound through picky (at times, math-influenced) guitar riffs that are always in conflict with each other. The pristine vocals of lead singer, Elsa Holmgren, is what carries the record though with eight invigorating jams that don't run too long, nor too short. The album captivates you from track to track as they base on a shoegaze, wispy tone -- as seen with the jangly opener, "Don't Need To Be Them". Soothing. Beachy. Breezy. The way the guitars ride that melodic bassline on "You Can't Make My Mind Up" further shows how they play off her voice, helping stray off the path of each song becoming a tad repetitive. This does happen at times as they stick to their mid-tempo formula as I felt the record missed two big things -- an absolute slow-burner for Holmgren to flex out on...and a hazy burst of noise that would show how angry they could get. But the energy on display more than suffices and is well-received in the 30 minutes they offer, hooking you in with snappy choruses and dynamic percussive beats (a la "Come Have Me Over").
Album is very catchy and jammed with anthems that at first listen, feel like breakup music. But peering deeper, it's a lot more about relationships with friends, family and the public, as opposed to being limited to love. They create a soundscape of effortless rhythms in the backdrop as Holmgren pours her heart out -- with so much honesty and inspiration. As "Fear" wraps proceedings, one thing's clear. The Sun Days are focused on the positives in life and they're fully intent on letting us know why through these indie jams.