Dust In The Sunlight have released their debut EP.
Out now via Project Melody, the alt-pop duo’s eponymous release is an enchanting 4-track release.
Speaking of the new EP, the duo said: “These four songs represent the first leg of our journey together. We’ve come from meeting at Get Cape Wear Cape Fly’s recording session to travelling from Southend to London to write songs together, arranging and recording them with our producer Aviv, signing with Project Melody, and now we’re here. It’s been quite a ride! We want these songs to tell a story, and for anyone who listens to them to be able to connect with that. Whether you’re imagining driving home late at night under the cover of streetlights or wandering through the streets of your old home town – they exist to take you somewhere. We’re so happy to finally share them with the world and can’t wait for what’s yet to come.”
To celebrate the EP release, we caught up with Dust In The Sunlight to discover 5 tracks that influenced the EP.
The National – Nobody Else Will Be There | Listen via Spotify
Billy: This song is one we always come back to when we talk about creating atmosphere. It just creeps in with the guitar pickup switch slyly providing the rhythm for the song. Then all of a sudden you’re there, at a party with Matt Berninger as he whispers to someone in a stairwell. It’s the epitome of not overdoing it, and a truly beautiful song. We went to watch The National play when we were writing the first batch of songs for the band, and seeing the crowd fall silent during their performance of this one had a huge impact on us.
Annie: The National are one of my favourite bands and this song sums up everything I love about them – the ability to create a moody, rainy-day atmosphere, the subtle instrumentation and a story that you immediately start walking around in. I love the repetitive piano riff working with the pickup switch, it’s like they’re having their own conversation underneath the vocals.
Sufjan Stevens – Death With Dignity | Listen via Spotify
Annie: I saw Sufjan Stevens at the Royal Festival Hall with my friend Terry on the ‘Carrie & Lowell’ tour back in 2015 and fell head over heels. This is one of my favourite albums – a deeply personal record that he lets you into, dealing with topics of death and parental relationships while composing the sweetest of arrangements. My favourite part of this song is the piano solo; it’s so simple, yet full of hope.
Billy: We’re both huge fans of Sufjan. Every time he releases an album you wonder if he’s going to teach you about songwriting this time. This is my favourite track from ‘Carrie & Lowell’, which is an album of favourites, to be honest. The vocal melody is a canon and it really makes you lock in with his words. One thing I love about Sufjan is how many different messages you can take from his lyrics. This album is so intimate as well. You feel like you’re in a room with him whilst he’s showing you his music.
Elliott Smith – King’s Crossing | Listen via Spotify
Billy: Elliott Smith was a survival kit for me when I was growing up. It’s so hard to pick one song. ‘King’s Crossing’ blew me away when I first came across it. There were layers to this song beyond anything I’d heard before. Everything about ‘From A Basement on a Hill’ just makes you want to find out more about him as an artist and person. I remember putting it on at house parties and trying to get loads of drunk friends to listen intently to the lyrics. Safe to say it completely sniped the vibe and was turned off.
Annie: Elliott was an artist we both bonded over and still constantly talk about. I don’t think there’s anyone quite like him, his entire body of work creates a headspace for me that I haven’t found with any other artist. It’s raw and full of pain, yet fragile and beautiful. The build from the eerie piano to the full band chordal descent in this song takes you on such a journey.
Joni Mitchell – California | Listen via Spotify
Annie: Joni Mitchell’s storytelling ability and musicianship is endlessly inspiring. ‘Amelia’ is probably my favourite song of hers, but ‘California’ always reminds me of writing with Billy. We’d play around with the melody and chords at the start of a writing session and then try desperately not to imitate it! I listened to ‘Blue’ a lot when I was in New York last year and we were working on finishing touches for the EP, it brings back lovely memories of freedom and discovery.
Billy: This song is pure sunshine. We both live in London but moved in from smaller towns. So sometimes you have this strange urge to come home because you miss it, but you can’t. Whenever I hear this I want to be on the road, travelling anywhere at all.
Nils Frahm – My Friend The Forest | Listen via Spotify
Billy: This whole album is perfect. We always have it on in the van when we’re heading to gigs. I think the piano on this track had a massive influence on our sound. We became a bit obsessed with how Nils achieved that sound, and it’s all to do with mic positions and extra pads on the felt of the piano. This always reminds me of walking along in the snow in March 2017. I’d walk for hours and shut the world out with this record.
Annie: Nils Frahm has been a huge influence on my piano playing. I’m classically trained and love combining the things I’ve learnt into contemporary music we write. If ever a melody could tell a tale, it’s this one. It’s a truly beautiful piece of music.
You can stream Dust In The Sunlight’s debut EP below via Spotify: