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Mar 21, 2013 Suuns By J. Pace

Suun’s debut full-length, Zeroes QC, stood out with a volatile mélange of electronic experimentation and big-guitar rockist leanings. This time out, the Montréal group is more consistent, diving more wholeheartedly into their Kraut-y electronic side, bringing modern-day Liars or Clinic to mind. The guitars never quite get to riff stage, serving up texture, tension, and drone. They lend context to throbbing basslines, simple drumbeats, and marble-mouthed vocal meanderings. Underneath it all is a real sleekness and restraint—cool shadows permeating everything. “Sunspot” slinks along on a penetrating, syncopated bassline, beeping like submarine sonar in the night. “Bambi” is creepy but danceable, with a four-on-the-floor beat and stabby guitars, and vocalist Ben Shemie mumble-singing—and sounding very much like Clinic’s Ade Blackburn. In fact, if there’s a real fault to this record, it’s that it embraces so many of the same idiosyncrasies Blackburn and crew do, given that the groups’ vocalists share such a similar timbre and delivery. Songs like “2020” might pop up on shuffle and you wouldn’t know the difference. Regardless, that sound isn’t too crowded a playing field, and Suuns stir in enough twist and refinement to make it their own. And, uh, no melodicas.

(www.secretlycanadian.com/suuns)

Author rating: 6.5/10