Melbourne-based singer-songwriter, Sunset Salore has harnessed the empowerment of retrospection on her debut EP, 'Love Kills The Monsters'.
Originally from Belfast, Northern Ireland, Sunset Salore has played in a number of local Melbourne bands, but it was the pandemic that was the impetus to seize her solo artistry. "The music is really about acknowledging the moments that have passed, realising they're defining moments, and growing from them," shares Sunset Salore.
'Love Kills The Monsters' is a seven-track EP featuring evocative, lush soul-pop that embraces elements of darker pop and funky art rock; it's a collection of songs fused with lyrical heart and a self-reflection to accept oneself while embracing change.
"This EP was the first time I felt ready to tell a story, and it was really cathartic, and quite reflective for me," Sunset Salore adds. "It had been a hard few years. A number of things happened, including of course a global pandemic.
"I'd personally suffered with long-COVID, and other health complications arising from that which changed things for me. I forced myself to embrace a brighter outlook, to work hard and enjoy that process, and through it to ultimately love and accept myself right now as is.
"That's where the name comes from, the thought that maybe we can love our demons away - that love can kill the monsters."
Ahead of the EP's release tomorrow (4 October), scenestr is thrilled to premiere the 'Love Kills The Monsters' EP today. Enjoy.
Love Kills The Monsters
As the title track, this song looks inward to the demons and fears that we face and how our own self-love can propel us through those feelings.The demons could be toxicity that we or others bring into our lives, but the love we have for ourselves can help us find light at the end of the tunnel.
It feels like a long, winding summer drive, and sounds like a collaboration between Bjork and Jamroquai meets singer-songwriter.
Hope
'Hope' is written about a time when a relationship could still go either way, it's sitting on a knife's edge and you haven't made the decision which way it'll land.The track is trying to convince yourself and the other person to give it all it needs to work, but also being completely ready to let it go if you need to. That critical moment is about backing yourself when you need to on whatever the decision will be.
This track feels hopeful, reflective, introspective and a bit like having a long phone conversation while walking to clear your head. With an alt-pop feel, it's a relaxing, thoughtful and soulful ballad.
Call It
This track addresses all the little micro-moments in a relationship that no longer stack up, and in that moment, deciding to be done. The ability to call time on something is an empowering moment, something that asserts self determination over your future, and allows you to take back that power.It's an assertive, moody pop track with darker elements and haunting synths, erring on the side of rock. Side note: This track has surpassed 100k streams on Spotify, streamed in 119 countries, reached #19 on the World Indie Music Charts, and #32 on the European Indie Music Charts.
Feel
'Feel' is a track about grounding yourself, being present, and relishing the moment. I wanted to really hone in on the feeling of reconnecting with yourself, and your relationships. The idea of taking ownership of your life, your feelings and experiences – a bit of a war-cry to grasp life in both hands, and to be present sufficiently to truly enjoy the experience.It feels like reckless abandon, not caring what others think, and a driving energy to enjoy life. It's a bright, crunchy contrast between light vocals and distorted guitars, a bit of a homage to the '90s era grunge with a contemporary feel.
Mystery & Magic
'Mystery & Magic' is essentially a love song, written about the euphoria of learning someone new, uncovering the mystery and the magic about that person and those moments in the early stages of a relationship.Instead of being a ballad-style love song, it's much more about chemistry, energy and fun. A summer anthem if you will. Side note: This track is approaching 75k streams on Spotify, reached #6 on the World Indie Music Charts, and #11 on the European Indie Music Charts.
Potential
This was an exploration about seeing the potential in a person, and the kind of relationship you could have if they choose to step up or lean in. It's an optimistic, but firm setting of boundaries and expectations.It allows for a healthy space to be set out from the beginning, and celebrates that. It's a demanding, assertive and confident position to put yourself in if you're going to put everything on the line and feel too grown for games. It sounds like a Jamiroquai-inspired funk, pop-leaning, hooky track just begging for a dance remix or two.
Don't Owe You Pretty
This is a bit of a self-indulgent track on the EP, leaning more into the jazz space than the others, and is more of a nod to where I originally thought I'd take the whole EP, but ended up taking a different turn.It explores being fed up with the expectations in society today to be pretty and vacuous. That if you have opinions, particularly as a female, that you're loud, too much, too assertive. This is something felt in relationships, in jobs, in everyday life really, and it challenges the overt societal rules around aesthetics.
This track explores the limitations of drawing value solely from how you look, when other attributes are far more important and fulfilling (but hey, if you're pretty too, good for you!). It's a soothing, soulful and cruisey lullaby, sounding like 1930s jazz meets blues, soul and surf.
Sunset Salore will play an EP launch show at Bergy Bandroom (Melbourne) 1 February, alongside Kaiyah Mercedes, Lili Violet and Gman.
