Sunne

Album review

London-based shoegazers Cheatahs impressed with their debut self-titled album in 2014, which came after years of EPs and the slow release of material while the bandmembers toured with other projects like Male Bonding, Weird Dreams, and Screaming Tea Party, yet Cheatahs have taken priority for frontman Nathan Hewitt with 2015’s EP Sunne. Continuing where they left off with Cheatahs, the My Bloody Valentine-inspired dreamy palette of expansive guitars and soft vocals pulsate through “Controller,” which is awash with reverb and delay. The title track evokes otherworldly sounds with a droning tape effect providing a backdrop for the floating melodies that twist together and pull apart as the song unravels into swells of noise and an unexpectedly melodic chorus. It’s not all ethereal and blissful listening, though, and “No Drones” proves that Cheatahs aren’t afraid to mix things up. Crashing in at a frantic two minutes, it takes cues from the ferocity of Male Bonding in its immediacy, and chips away at the glossy and gauzy nature of the preceding tracks. Ultimately, this short EP is an extension of Cheatahs' ambition as they seek to establish themselves as a musical force in their own right.

© Scott Kerr /TiVo