JW Francis - SUNSHINE (2024) Hi-Res

JW Francis has always embodied the spirit of a nomad. His 2021 album, WANDERKID, was based on a character seeking refuge from modern life’s complexities. Francis did just that shortly after its release—embarking on a 2,000-mile hike through the Appalachian Mountains. On his fourth and latest album, SUNSHINE, he reflects on the journey: “I had to get up; I had to get out of my mind. Changes always get me aligned, and I always wanna shake it up.” The lo-fi legend emerges from the wilderness with a new batch of songs that serve as a high watermark in his growing oeuvre.

Francis layers guitar motifs and builds colorful harmonies that give his songs their trademark brightness. On SUNSHINE, he executes the instrumentals with more intention and sophistication. The sound quality has improved markedly but is still anchored in the lo-fi charm with a compressed and warbly guitar tone that sounds like it’s playing on a worn cassette. His vocal delivery, slacker-like and kissed with distortion, has also remained steady, emulating the dopey drawl of rock poets Lou Reed and Kurt Vile.