Sun City - Daytona EP

Sun City
Daytona EP
2017
Spotify

Winter has been coming for awhile now. It has felt like the world is in a bit of the doldrums with few options to pull ourselves up. However Sun City may be the spark to get Spring and Summer here sooner rather than later. This new EP Daytona from the Perth duo is bright and shimmery, tailor-made for summer nights and sweaty dance sessions. This record is not about wallowing in our current state of affairs but rather hoping for a better future. High minded description for a dance record, but you really get the sense that this is the way these two guys are feeling, ready for some kind of pressure release. What is really interesting about this record is how much restraint Sun City show. There are many moments when these tracks could break down into EDM heavy drops, but they scale it back and focus more on the House elements of the song. Yet pop remains the focus throughout Daytona with each track having its own story to tell rather than just a beat to dance to. They almost sound a bit like Empire of the Sun, yet dialed way back, far less theatrics which is a more than welcome difference. Even the album cover reeks of fun and frivolity, but in a very organic way. Many artists try to force an upbeat vibe into their music in the never ending search for that "song of the summer" but for Sun City it is just a part of who they are, even if their song's message gets a little deep it never loses it's sense of lightness.

At only five tracks it is an EP on the shorter side, yet each track maintains a really distinct vibe that flows through the entire album. There is not a DJ style flow to the record, yet each tracks works with the last extremely well. Three of the tracks have been previously released with "Daytona" and "Always" being the newcomers. There are a few times where their lyrics can get a little electro-corny, but the music supporting it is interesting enough to propel the album forward. Songs like "Wake Up" just feel cared for and appreciated rather than just an excuse to put out another club banger. The idea that Sun City are taking some of the more out there electronic styles and blending them straight into dance is one of the most special parts of this record. The weather and emotions in general since the new year have been really shitty. It's time to take a break from that, let some Sun shine through, get on your feet and just fucking dance. Sun City are here for you.

8.1 out of 10