Artist: Sun Airway
Album: Nocturne of Exploded Crystal Chandelier
Release Date: October 26, 2010
Label: Dead Oceans
Review by: Sean Kayden
I’ve had the emphatic gratification of discovering one of the truly amazing albums from last year. Sun Airway is composed of the fierce duo of Philadelphia natives Jon Barthmus and Patrick Marsceill. Their tour-de-force, imaginatively titled debut record, Nocturne of Exploded Crystal Chandelier is a genuine work of art. While the album’s appellation may seem pretentious, that isn’t true for the actual tunes on the record. “Nocturne of Exploded Crystal Chandelier” is an impeccably crafted, dreamy indie-pop laced, neo-psychedelic opus of grand magnitude. It’s an amalgamation of silky-smooth electronics, shoegazer sounds, melodic tones, haunting ambience and atmospheric essence. Sun Airway’s tightly composed introduction album encompasses a sonorous experience for fans of this musical persuasion. At the same token, music listening thrill seekers are in for an unexpected treat in the most epic proportions.
To paint a better portrait, Sun Airway’s sound is a hybrid of experimental electronic specialists Animal Collective and the delightfully delicate vocals of Coldplay’s Chris Martin. Does it really get any better than that? Lyrically speaking, Barthmus and Marsceill supply blissful, happy-induced, uncomplicated words. Barthmus subtly executes the line “I’m just looking for the perfect sentence to keep us alive” in “Swallowed By The Night”. At face value, the lyrics are simple, but it’s beneath the surface where the true meaning lies. We’ve all at some point in time felt this way and despite the lucid lyrics, the real beauty is the way Barthmus sings. He isn’t showy or grandiloquent in presentation. There is a gentle cadence to his delivery. You can’t help but to believe in what Barthmus is representing and also the way he feels. There is an astonishing element to this rhapsody. It’s difficult to put into words, but it’s a record that can be deemed as the soundtrack to one’s own individual life. Something truly unique is likely to be unraveled for the open-minded patron. Listeners will easily become lost in the pensive mood the album effortlessly demonstrates. Isn’t that what music is all about? Something so rare and enchanting that you feel attached to it as if grants you the answers to your own past without ever knowing what your own history entailed. The lyrics will navigate you through your own plight while the soaring melodies will guide you to your own personal utopia.
“Nocturne of Exploded Crystal Chandelier” is a rapturous, indisputably pleasurable, indie pop-rock composition. Nothing about the record rings false or overly exaggerated. It’s pitch-perfect from beginning to end. Downright contagious, utterly vigorous, and even mystical, there’s no denying the replay value that can be found here. Not much can be said for most artists these days, but the potential for Sun Airway is immeasurable. It’s the quintessential time to discover the exquisiteness of “NOECC”. It’ll surely keep you warm in these spring nights and cool you off in the midst of the forthcoming summer. Words of advice, it’ll be best to put on those shades Sun Airway, because the future is looking awfully bright for you guys.
Key Tracks: “American West”, “Shared Piano”, “Your Moon”
Grade: 10 out of 10.
Published on March 19, 2011 by Mountain Views News.
http://mtnviewsnews.com/v05/htm/n12/p10.htm
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