SX - 70 - 100 Suns

SX-70 - 100 Suns


Belfast Quartet SX-70 pilot a successful re-entry with their third single 100 Suns. Breezy, expansive and spirited, the development in mentality, both in composition and aural quality, is marked when comparing the first two singles to this one. 100 Suns is the sound of a band arriving.

Rather than the big picture, it is the devilish details that make this song so enjoyable. The audible crackle as the song begins sets the retro tone and was reminiscent to me of a vinyl LP beginning its sonic journey. Meanwhile, the sunny licks and airy riffs of guitarists Ethan Tohill and Jack McGarry transport you to a warm summer afternoon in landscape shrouded by the Slumber Instagram filter. The vocals of Tohill are particularly captivating, capturing that thin territory between cheerfully and cataclysmic, a region usually inhabited by the likes of Morrissey. Indeed, 100 Suns is reminiscent in structure to a Smiths tine, one but for the modern indie landscape.


100 Suns did much to grab my attention. the refreshing kicks and upticks scattered throughout kept me playfully on my toes, while the backing vocals lured me in with their miasma like qualities. Laid back lyrics add to a general air of satisfaction and comfort despite the allegretto tempo. Dramatic and flashy when it needs to be, chilled and carefree when it doesn’t, 100 Suns ends as it starts, with steely guitars and a captivated audience. There's little more we could have asked for.

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