Sun Atoms has today released their new video for the track titled ‘The Cat’s Eye’ featuring Alex Maas of the Black Angels.
Starting off smooth, almost like a Quentin Tarentino soundtrack, the hook eases in and the volume slowly swells with the vibrancy of true artists and the fervency of an artist. This song, and the video, is a slow burn of a track with an abstract visualizer, giving the music an emotional swell. Playing with the senses as well as the mind. Call it ‘psychosocialdelic’.
‘Let There Be Light’ drops October 1st (details below).
About ‘The Cat’s Eye’
“The Cat’s Eye” is a strung-out, psychedelic wonder, the track finds the alias of Jsun Atoms (The Upsidedown, Daydream Machine) joined by special guest appearances from the singular Alex Maas (The Black Angels) and Jasno Swarez (The Vandelles).
“The Cat’s Eye” is the second single to emerge from Sun Atoms’ upcoming full-length LP ‘Let There Be Light’, out 1st October 2021, via The Acid Test Recordings label in Europe and Little Cloud Records in the USA.
“The Cat’s Eye” arrives with stunning visual accompaniment directed by Rome, Italy’s award-winning filmmaker Susanna Della Sala (The Fish Doctor, Neolovismo).
Ebbing and flowing like Love and Rockets under a Spiritualized raga; the spirit of Bowie’s classic “Moonage Daydream” echoes through the track’s astral fabric. Interweaving superlative contributions from the likes of The Black Angels’ Alex Maas (who adds his captivating vocal depth and haunting mellotron arrangements), plus The Vandelles’ Jasno Swarez (backing vocals, guitars) and the expert percussive patter of drummer Gregg Williams (Sheryl Crow) on hand drums and congas; its nuanced arrangements align in heavenly constellation around Atoms’ cosmic vision.
Maas and Atoms, who first met while supporting Black Rebel Motorcycle Club in 2007 and whose paths have continued to cross ever since, have prolifically exchanged musical ideas with one another over the years. While “The Cat’s Eye” only sees its official release in 2021, the track has been something of a labour of love between the two for some time. As Atoms says of collaborating with Maas on the track:
“Alex and I have shared early versions of songs with each other over the years. When Alex sent me some mixes of his critically acclaimed solo album “Luca“, I reciprocated with some early Sun Atoms mixes and he replied that he loved “The Cat’s Eye” and had some ideas for it. We were taking a break from mixing because Gorillaz were using Stephen Street’s studio in London and when we came back to mix, Alex had sent this beautiful vocal chorus which worked well with Pete’s “Here Come The Warm Jets” guitar freak out. Alex said that the song was begging for the Mellotron flute lead which definitely took the song to a new level.”
“The Cat’s Eye” is the latest track to be cut from Sun Atoms’ explorative new project, ‘Let There Be Light’. Produced by The Dandy Warhols’ guitar pedal maestro Peter Holmström (Pete International Airport, The Dandy Warhols) and mixed by London’s legendary Stephen Street (Blur, The Smiths, New Order), first-rate guest performances scattered throughout the record also include The Black Angels’ Alex Maas, the leader of Brooklyn’s The Vandelles: Jasno Swarez, St. Louis beat boss drummer Bob Mild, esteemed session player Gregg Williams (Sheryl Crow, Blitzen Trapper), and Sacramento punks Pets, to name a few.
8 tracks that loosely revolve around the star that blazes at the middle of the solar system; ‘Let There Be Light’ merges styles, sounds and genres with a nuclear kind of fusion. Citing luminary influences such as Moon Duo, The Cure, Nick Cave, Love and Rockets, Spiritualized, and Leonard Cohen; the result is a record that burns with a cosmic radiance, quite content to defy the rules of the universe.
About Sun Atoms
The Boston Globe called Jsun’s music “Dreamy and decadent in all the right places.” Sun Atoms is the debut solo effort from Portland, Oregon’s Jsun Atoms. Produced by The Dandy Warhols’ guitar pedal maestro Peter Holmström and mixed by London’s legendary Stephen Street (Blur, The Smiths, The Cranberries). The rich pedigree is evident in this 8 song LP, Let There Be Light, coming out October 1st on Little Cloud Records in the USA and The Acid Test Recordings in Europe. The album opener is a kaleidoscopic collaboration with The Black Angels’ Alex Maas on vocals and Mellotron. At the center of the Sun, atoms under intense pressure from gravity undergo a process.
This album is an incredible combination of psychedelic dark wave and postmodern pop due in part to some first-rate guest performances including the leader of Brooklyn’s The Vandelles, Jasno Swarez, producer Peter Holmström (Pete International Airport, The Dandy Warhols), Gregg Williams (Sheryl Crow, Blitzen Trapper), St. Louis beat boss drummer Bob Mild, and Sacramento punks Pets, to name a few. The genres bend and blend song to song through such luminary influences as Love and Rockets, Moon Duo, The Cure, Nick Cave, Spiritualized, and Leonard Cohen.
Sun Atoms’ bands (The Upsidedown, Daydream Machine) have been tour support for The Jesus and Mary Chain, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, Allah-Las, and Luna. My Bloody Valentine’s Colm Ó Ciosóig and Mazzy Star’s Hope Sandoval picked Atoms’ music for their Brooklyn Vegan playlist and had his band open for them on tour. The Dandy Warhols’ have had Sun Atoms’ bands as main support in Australia, Canada, and several tours of the States. He has also performed several times at The Black Angels’ Levitation Festival, SXSW, and Joshua Tree’s Desert Stars Festival.
Sun Atoms spent the pandemic year in the studio with longtime collaborator Peter Holmström, crafting the songs and sending files back and forth from London, Brooklyn, Austin, and Sacramento. The vision comes from the sun being at what is thought of as the center of our solar system, but the sun, like other stars, is a ball of gas. Atoms’ music has been featured in more than 40 television shows and movies including Sons of Anarchy on FX, Ray Donovan on Showtime, Animal Kingdom on TNT, and True Blood on HBO. Magnet Magazine said of Atoms earlier works, “the shoegazing vortex that sucks you in never lets go.”
Sun Atoms curated the most recent Portland PyschFest, bringing together acts from as far away as Sao Paolo, Brazil to support Los Angeles headliners The Warlocks and Dead Meadow. Atoms’ music is currently featured in the award winning arthouse movie “Neolovismo” recently nominated for Best Film and Best Screenplay at the Milan International Film Festival. The 5 piece live version of Sun Atoms has been playing at their North Portland clubhouse and look forward to shining in venues near you as soon as the clouds clear.
Featured image by Heather Boyd.
‘Let There Be Light’ Tracks:
- The Cat’s Eye
- Half Robot Half Butterfly
- Captain Tunnel Vision
- Don’t Take Me To Your Leader
- Super Switch Kid
- Fell For You
- Two Wolves and a Lamb Voted on What’s For Dinner
- Praying Mantis
LINKS:
https://littlecloudrecords.com/products/sun-atoms-let-there-be-light-pre-order
https://twitter.com/sun_atoms
https://www.facebook.com/sunatoms
https://sunatoms.bandcamp.com
