Hydro-funk trio SunSquabi expanded its diverse musical catalog last week with the release of the four-track Cloudburst EP on March 8th. The Denver-based livetronic ensemble has specialized in bringing its signature stylings to the masses since its inception over a decade ago.
With the recent announcement of the handover of the drums from Chris “Butters” Anderson to Scotty Zwang, the funk-addled, electronic triad is undergoing an evolutionary transformation into its next chapter. The day after Cloudburst was released, the band delivered a monumental hometown throwdown at Denver’s Mission Ballroom.
Joined by co-headliners lespecial with support from Big Something and UnderLux, the Mile High soiree was a true family reunion, a culmination of many genres that spanned SunSquabi’s history and launched the gift of its new tunes, finished with a shiny, sparkly bow.
Live For Live Music had a chance to chat with Kevin Donohue (guitar, keys, production) on the band’s forward trajectory and the inspiration behind Cloudburst. The sonic journey of the EP stemmed from ideations between Kevin and Josh Fairman (bass, synth, production) over the last two years. As a contrasting follow-up to 2022’s feature-heavy Arise, Cloudburst offers an introspective immersion into the group’s next-level instrumentation and production.
Fluid electronic rhythms and groove-centric soundscapes conceptualize the pair’s adventures in Hawaii, where the majority of the music was inspired by and written. In their stints visiting the sacred lands, the two spent time “pushing ourselves, hiking over volcanos, learning how to dive, having new experiences, and getting caught in the rain storms. Then we would chill and write new music while we were in the rain storms.” The songs are mirrors of the deeply profound moments on the island, reflecting the natural phenomena and intoxicating beauty of Hawaii’s magic.
At this pinnacle moment in this instrumental outfit’s career, these fresh songs paint a beautiful canvas into new experiences into the next era of the hydro-funk sound.
Kevin continues on about the musical journey, saying, “We are reaching into a different territory of less pre-planning and more simultaneous playing of instruments…really just pushing ourselves beyond what we were doing for years and years, finding new ways to challenge ourselves.”
He reflects on the big change of saying goodbye to long-time drummer Chris: “It is a new chapter of the story for sure. We’ve been able to experience a lot of really great things in the process of doing this with Chris. Getting to play with him tonight [at Mission] and the fact that we can all still be friends while inviting something new and everyone is cool with it. We feel really, really blessed to have built relationships like that here.”
The bittersweet farewell to Chris and huge welcoming of Scotty was felt throughout the evening, with both drummers showcasing their importance to the electronic-driven trio during the set. The revived fervor that permeates the atmosphere of the fresh reboot is apparent through Cloudburst and through SunSquabi’s dynamic live performance.
As for upcoming news, more music is already on the way. The band is feeling more creative than ever and becoming steadfast in focusing on the music it wants to make.
“We don’t want to just be considered a jam band,” Donohue expressed. “We want to play every kind of music that we like, which is a lot. We’ve been listening to a lot of new electronic music that I haven’t heard before in the last six to eight months and that’s really been getting our brains going. We’ve been listening to producers like Jafu, K+Lab, and parkbreezy. Trying not to be afraid to be diverse and make the kind of music you like is the inspiration we are on right now…just making a lot of music and not feeling held back.”
Smack in the middle of huge tour runs, SunSquabi is about to head west of home for seven exciting mountain shows before kicking off a stacked festival season. Kevin may have also said to expect some very exciting show announcements for Colorado this summer, so stay tuned for those.
SunSquabi is “about to go harder than ever before” so be on the look out for more music, stream Cloudburst, and check out the Colorado-based electro-fusion triad in a city near you. See below for tour dates and visit the band’s website for tickets.
SunSquabi — Cloudburst
Cloudburst by SunSquabi
The post SunSquabi Enters New Era With Fresh ‘Cloudburst’ EP, New Drummer, & Packed Mission Ballroom Throwdown [Interview] appeared first on L4LM.
