Back in May, Toronto musician/producer Sun Rain released the debut album Sheets through Hush Hush Records. I compared it to walking through a cloud forest then, and I’ll compare it to walking through a cloud forest now: it’s like walking through a cloud forest! The latest offering from the ambient/electronic artist is a music video to accompany the second track “Willow Tree Testing”. The video, courtesy of Dani Ramez, features a psychedelic yet natural visualizer. Again: cloud forest. Fog. Water. Bliss.
After your pupils dilate from the music video above (which we are so very happy to premiere), please listen to the album below from front to back and read our short and sweet interview.
What was the process like for this song and this video?
The song for me came shortly after I moved into a new studio space. I acquired a few new pieces of gear, one being a Yamaha cassette deck. I had been after one of these for quite a while and was very interested in achieving the lo-fi, dusty kind of Boards Of Canada type sound. The moment I ran a few synth chords through tape, I was inspired and the rest of the track just kind of fell in to place naturally. It was definitely one of those tracks that came together very quickly, which is always a really nice feeling.
Dani and I have been working together creatively for years so, I am very familiar with her work. I knew her trippy visual style would compliment the music very well so, once I chose WTT as a single, I asked her right away.
Did you know all along that you wanted a psychedelic / visualizer feel to accompany the music?
Not necessarily. I knew when asking Dani that I would get something psychedelic but I gave her total creative freedom on the content and style. I was happy to see what the track brought out in her editing.
The project is very meditative and lush. Like the visuals (and your artist name), is it rooted in nature?
Absolutely, I’ve always been inspired by nature and the connection one can have with the earth. The theme of the album explores the importance of trees and wood as a resource. Not only for human survival but also for creative expression. A ’natural’ sound is certainly something I’ve always tried to achieve while writing music, especially in this age of hyper electronic and robotic music.
What's up next for Sun Rain?
Currently working on lots of new music. The next album is coming together nicely and focuses on a slower, more emotional side. I’ve been having a lot of fun experimenting with different ways to make the piano sound, leaving lots of space between notes to bring out the subtle textures of my recordings. I’m very excited to see how this body of work comes together.
I have also been working with a collaborative project called BisonBison for which Dani is a part of. Our debut record is complete and will be released on Zozaya Records in early 2020. Very excited about this project so keep an eye out!
