OXBLOOD COLORED VINYL.
For nearly 30 years, SUNN O))) – Stephen O'Malley and Greg Anderson – have been pushing the boundaries of heavy music, merging the worlds of avant-garde and rock to create a style instantly recognizable as their own. Now, SUNN O))) return with their first album of new material since 2019's acclaimed Pyroclasts. Their tenth album – their Sub Pop debut – demonstrates the duo's mastery of time and space, light and darkness, and their readiness to push their distinctive sound into bold new forms. The self-titled album, SUNN O))), was recorded at Bear Creek Studios in Woodinville, Washington, with Brad Wood (HuM, Tar, Sunny Day Real Estate, Liz Phair). This location proved pivotal to the recording process. "The huge recording room had large windows overlooking trees," says O'Malley. "We could go hiking and be out in the woods, spend time outdoors." That was an important part of it.” SUNN O))) have long incorporated collaborators into their unique world: previous works have featured Attila Csihar (Mayhem), composer Hildur Gudnadóttir, multi-instrumentalist Steve Moore, polymath Mark Deutrom, Tim Midyett of Silkworm, and legendary singer-songwriter Scott Walker. On this album, however, O'Malley and Anderson have explored new possibilities within the duo's original format, playing all the instruments themselves. “What has happened over the past few years with our performances as a duo, without any other collaborators, has been truly new and exciting,” says Anderson. The compositions on SUNN O))) are expansive and panoramic, yet rich in detail, reflecting the wooded environment in which they were recorded. Amidst howling feedback and icy crunching, surprisingly tender moments emerge: a field recording of rippling water in the background, piano interludes that create a subdued, celebratory mood. The duo reaches new heights of telepathic intensity as they craft music that breathes the invigorating, earthy air of the Pacific Northwest. Visually, the album is framed by two paintings by the late American artist Mark Rothko. The liner notes are by award-winning British writer Robert Macfarlane, known for his work on landscape and the relationship between humanity and nature. Through the work of the band, Macfarlane, and Rothko, sound, word, and image merge into a comprehensive experience that is undeniably SUNN O))).
