Fuzzy Sun, Since The Dog Died
Independent
Fuzzy Sun have turned their knack for a hook and their deft musicality into a real feat of indie ambition on latest release Since The Dog Died ahead of their UK tour in December. The Manchester band’s most recent offering is their most innovative yet, and is packed with surprises at every turn, cementing Fuzzy Sun’s aptitude for pushing themselves beyond what’s expected, and amplifies the anticipation the scene has for where they’re going next.
The first major surprise Fuzzy Sun throw at us comes in the form of the tracklist. Ten tracks goes well beyond EP, pushes it a bit further even than mini-album – on the surface, this is a full album in its own right. Since The Dog Died is actually comprised of six tracks and four interludes, turning it merely from a collection of tracks into a seamless, delicately crafted listening experience. Every interlude is transformative, carefully building the atmosphere of the EP in between each song and making for a totally, unbrokenly immersive 25 minutes. That’s a runtime more in the realm of what we’d expect from an EP, but despite that, there’s definitely as much sonic craftsmanship here as would be on a full-length release. Each interlude is distinct, too: Prelude is the drawn-out swelling way of easing into the EP, Cairnyran is gorgeous and earthy, I feel like I’m going to dream tonight. takes us down a more foreboding, darker route, and Night Creatures is just a disconcerting moment of near silence.
As for the actual songs, Fuzzy Sun are still trying to demonstrate their all-round prowess. Singles Fake It, Morning Light, and China Pearl almost don’t do the EP justice as tasters, because they seem to be the tracks most in Fuzzy Sun’s comfort zone; that is to say, groovy guitar-indie bops. To the highest degree, of course, but still the kind of tune we know Fuzzy Sun can do. The later likes of Time Out are where Fuzzy Sun take it a little further, bringing together their singalong choruses and big melodies with more unusual, unexpected instrumentation. Some of the vocal lines wouldn’t sound out of place on a Catfish and the Bottlemen record, but they’re paired with such in intricate, eerie instrumental that they sound completely new. Swimming, scandi-simple guitar lines smush up against shimmering production making for an intense, intriguing ambience like nothing we’ve heard from Fuzzy Sun before.
The same can be said for closer Moviestar, the most sprawling, heavenly moment on the EP, as well as early acoustic groove Köln, which sees Fuzzy Sun tapping into this wintery, sparse texture for the first time. The highlights of Since The Dog Died, for sure, are the moments where you can almost hear Fuzzy Sun’s apprehension and jittery excitement for an experiment about to pay off – because all the new things they try on this record definitely do pay off. It’s ambitious, and refreshing, and a hopeful sign for Fuzzy Sun to continue down this delightfully challenging route.
Since The Dog Died is out today.
