Solar Bears - Advancement (2016)

Following on from the critical praise of their second album 'Supermigration' on Planet Mu; Solar Bears have joined the British independent label Sunday Best, home to one of their heroes David Lynch. Hailing from the east coast of Ireland, the band features two members, John Kowalski and Rian Trench. Solar Bears highly anticipated third LP 'Advancement', is the result of Kowalski's continued crate digging and Trench's extensive production work. 'Advancement' is an epic statement where the individual sounds and phrases may appear familiar to the listener, but when experienced fully 'Advancement' provides a powerful soundtrack to the primitive beauty of existence. Made over the course of a year, in many different locations and on specific set ups in particular spaces, the pieces were brought back together for the band to merge into a whole. Samples of indigenous instruments are heavily processed, mirroring the widespread decay of the natural world, its movement inspired by the natural cycle of destruction and restoration. Solar Bears experimental sound design makes use of volcanic samples, elements of wildlife and native instrumentation. The result is a powerful, other worldly album, balancing opposing forces and feelings, guiding the listener towards a peak of waking reverie and pure emotional release.