New York, NY (Top40 Charts) Back in 2013, Erik Stephansson was lying under the Bonnaroo sun contemplating the direction of his life. No longer a young dreamer, and about to become a father for the first time, he was wondering what changes were looming on the horizon. With no room for regret, he used this wonderful moment to inspire him and focus his songwriting on a new project. Revitalized with positivity, Stephansson channelled this energy into Suntrodden, the ideal vehicle for his dreamy indie pop.
Now comes his new record Suntrodden I, the first in a triptych of EPs which present the crystallization of Stephansson's sanguine vision. Of the project he says "I think they largely explore personal struggles and the way we overcome those challenges. I try to always look at the songs through an optimistic lens." This lens is also a hazy window into his world. It is a drowsy conversation at the start of the day, when hope once again fills the room.
By adopting a strict approach to songwriting, inspired by Jack White's similar set of rules, he sat down to make music that was pared-back, with limited instrumentation and only minor editing. The resulting five songs wholly reflect their creator's perspective, packed with optimism and spirit. When he sings "gonna give it all I got" on spectral opening track Sunrise to Sunset, you can hear the steely resolve that underpins his positive message.
Each of the songs began life on his 100 year old piano, an antique handed down to Stephansson by his music teaching aunt. Despite being subsequently worked on in Echo Bright Studios, his home studio in Atlanta, Georgia, you can definitely hear that genesis in Suntrodden's ageless music. Even with modern equipment at his fingertips, the songs remain sparse and uncomplicated. Rather than diving into the limitless rabbit hole of multi-track recording, he stuck to his 'rules' and kept the songs stripped of any unnecessary clutter, without even a drum kit for company.
Suntrodden I is the perfect introduction to Stephansson's talent and one that lets you hear his influences without them ever dominating. The double-tracked vocals of Elliott Smith, surreal daze of
Beach House and melodic simplicity of The
Beatles all inform his sound but more important are his own experiences. The record's hushed early morning tone echoes the life of a new parent more than anything else - just as a lullaby soothes a newborn, there are redemptive powers in the music of Suntrodden.
With this release, Stephansson has nowhere to hide. He has bared his soul and refused to cloud it with production and noise, instead illuminating it with the simplicity of well-crafted songs. For those of us who like our music to come from the heart and carry us off into a dream, we couldn't ask for anything more.
