Album Review: Only Sun - 'Tangled Mind'
Forever experimenting, Only Sun have released their debut album ‘Tangled Mind’. In turn, they’ve coined their sound as one that pulls from all directions, while having vulnerability at the very core.
Only Sun are a band who are constantly evolving. Beginning as a typical secondary school formation, the group have now been together for over 10 years, constantly searching for ways to push their ever-modulating sound. Out of this pursuit of sonic exploration emerges their latest album ‘Tangled Mind’, a cacophony of sound that while rooted in synth-pop that constantly moves between the group’s varying influences.
What remains at the heart of all of it though, is the group's sincietity. As they bounce between various genres and inspirations, the group's candidness remains constant, as they delve into the reality of mental health, and the pursuit of overcoming.
The opener ‘The Switch’ brings a ferociousness that has felt absent with the disappearance of live gigs, through its use of thrashing guitars, EDM style synths, and call-and-response. However, even in the hurricane of noise, the lyrics rooted in self-worth make a colossal impact, transforming the track from a simple indie-pop stomper, to an infectious, heartfelt earworm.
Across the album we hear various textures and influences come to the surface, as the band pulls us along a journey of musical exploration. A highlight ‘Hyenas (Tangled Mind) is reminiscent of a soft folk-ballad, with minimalist plucked melodies and shimmery synths dotted underneath heart-wrenching vocals. ‘Surely No Way Back’ has the energy of a 2000s pop punk anthem, with eerie electric backing and distorted samples pulsating underneath twisted lyricism.
These contrasts have the possibility to sound jarring when played in succession. However, the subject matter of each track flows into each other with ease. From heartbreak to self-hatred, to the pursuit of becoming better, the album deals with various aspects of wellbeing gracefully, providing enough insight to captivate each individual listener, and unite us all in the process.
What emerges from the band’s debut is an album that is truly explorative, and marks Only Sun as a group unafraid to dive head-first into the unknown.
Words by Lily Blakeney-Edwards