Glenn Smyth and Sebastian Maynard Francis who make up Birmingham`s Solar Eyes create technicoloured tunes that stretch across acid-dipped sonic landscapes and blissed-out melodies that have drawn comparisons to Primal Scream and the Chemical Brothers. They released their sophomore album `Live Freaky! Die Freaky!` last September and far from being that “difficult” second album, it was a cracker!!
The band release a new four track extended play called `Born Freaky!` this month, a loose, experimental collection of remixes and off-cuts taken from the critically acclaimed Live Freaky! Die Freaky! album.
We kick off with `Stop the Ride (I wanna Get Off)` a philosophical slice of dreamy psychedelic pop which expresses or signifies a desire to escape a chaotic, overwhelming, or uncontrollable situation, often likened to being trapped on an amusement park ride that is spinning too fast. A wonderfully reflective new track recorded for `Live Freaky! Die Freaky!` but which sadly didn’t make the cut.
High-achieving, or independent individuals often stand apart from the crowd, choosing to walk their own path rather than following the majority and `An Eagle Flies Alone (Hibs Mix)` is the epitome of this sentiment. It has a slightly harder edge and intensity to the album version. It exhibits a kind of wide-screen cinematic ride into the sunset with a side order of Ennio Morricone buried deep in its production.
`Time Waits For No One (Hibs Mix)` opens with an almost EBM beat and with encouraging lyrics it implies that opportunities are fleeting, aging is inevitable, and one must make the most of the present moment before it passes forever. There`s a captivating dreaminess throughout this unstoppable, continuous momentum of a number. In the last minute, the repeated phrase of “D`you wan` it” offers an even chance between stimulating or challenging.
The final offering here is `Give It All You Got` another song which didn’t make the album. Lyrically it encourages us to put forth our maximum effort, energy, and resources to achieve a goal or succeed in a task. To me this track is full of hidden meanings, possible conspiracy theories, rabbit holes and had a slight eastern or oriental tinge or vibe.
About this EP Glenn Smyth says: “I love it when we do these EPs – we did one last year, ‘Crooked Orbit,’ and we’ve done ‘Born Freaky!’ this time. It feels loose and experimental. Worryingly, some people prefer these EPs to our albums! But joking aside, I love this reworking and it gives me Death in Vegas and even Depeche Mode vibes.”
I`m in the love both camp, albums, and EP`s, the more Solar Eyes stuff the better!! I read somewhere that these Brummie cosmonauts share Psychedelic indie dance music with a twinkle in its eye and that really sums them up.
I suggest you Get Freaky with `Born Freaky!`
Rating 9/10
