Sunrose - Cosmic Horizon

​Sunrose

​Cosmic Horizon
self-released; 2017

​4.0 out of 5

By Rebecca Rothschild

Byron Bay, Australia is home to a four-piece psych/dream pop band called Sunrose and their latest album is Cosmic Horizon. The influences for the music has very little to do with the work of others and more to do with all the components of the known universe. Nature, human interaction, the rotation of the Earth, it's all in there somehow, and while that's very deep, it's still plenty of fun.

One thing I definitely appreciate with this album is how appropriate the name Cosmic Horizon is. I expected an adventure that would take me off the planet and into the dark void, and that's certainly a part of what you get. The dark vastness of space is openly embraced and communicated through the unconventional structure of the songs. Sometimes you don't know how you got to a point in a track and you really don't care.

The music and the vocals are interesting; they sometimes seem to be at odds and then they slowly come to an agreement and make these very cool climaxes that are fantastic. There were many times where I had to check what track I was on because they blend into one another so easily. However this is expected from the genre.

The grievance I have with this album is a need for editing, I ran into this issue on several of the tracks, especially when things slow down. One minute I'm on this crazy ride and then they hit the brakes and just kind of hang out a little too long and then I'm not as interested anymore. I honestly think a trimming of five to ten seconds could have made all the difference.

The production for the album gives a touch of nostalgia for the ’60s psych scene in the best way. Mixing and mastering was okay. I admit I did feel like I had to dig for vocals and other musical elements at times. I hate the feeling that I'm missing out on something, and unfortunately that happened more than a few times with this album. I know it's a tricky balance to achieve that vintage sound while letting everyone shine, but it has been done.

​The lack of adherence to traditional track construction gives Sunrose a refreshing edge. They embody the psychedelic rule breaking that was essential to the movement in the ’60s. I can see a band like this procuring a diverse and cult like following. This is one of those bands where a live album would be essential because imagine I it's never the same performance twice. I appreciate their intensity and willingness to be so free flowing with their format. People who would be interested in this music are those who like good rock and can stand to step outside their comfort zone a little bit. The album is worth listening to. There's a lot in there could tickle anyone's fancy.   

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