Four Reasons to Love Sunlounger’s ‘Sunsets & Bonfires’ Album

Roger Shah gives fans another Sunlounger album after eight years with Sunsets & Bonfires. Dive into why we think you should love it!

Roger Shah continues to keep busy despite the world’s odd state of being. Last year, as the world closed up due to COVID-19, he debuted a passion project that rewound the sound to the ’80s with Nightride, the debut album from his new alias Jukebox 80s. We spoke about Nightride’s release back in January, exploring how it reflects the diversity of projects not possible without the unique atmosphere of the lockdowns. He also jumped back into his artful designing of sonic experiences dropping his tenth Magic Island: Music for Balearic People mix this year – celebrating with a three-mix experience.

Never one to stop producing music though, Roger continued to hone his style under the Sunlounger alias where he drops his second album of the year titled Sunsets & Bonfires. For the unfamiliar, Roger Shah’s Sunlounger alias debuted with the anthemic “White Sand” in 2006 before the alias’ debut album Another Day On The Terrace dropped in 2007. Roger continued to release both albums and singles on the alias over the years, with the last album, Balearic Beauty, dropping back in 2013.

The sound remains firmly entrenched in what makes the alias strong for both long time and newly minted fans: acoustic guitars melded to progressive house and trance structures, which morph into a series of laid-back downtempo lounge affairs to really set a mood. Sprinkle on top a blend of tribal percussion rhythms and smooth vocals, and the flair of Sunlounger comes alive.

Grab your open copy of Sunsets & Bonfires on your platform of choice or stream it on Spotify below as we dive deeper. (If you head to the FSOE shop , there is even a dual CD version!)

Stream Sunlounger – Sunsets & Bonfires on Spotify:

Sunsets & Bonfires is really two albums in one.

Sunsets & Bonfires offers 26 tracks in two unique packages. While nothing feels truly anthemic like “Lost” or “White Sand,” each track feels matured by smart placement and sonic bliss, whether you turn to the day or the night side.

The first CD/half of the album caters to chilled moods. Stated as the “Day Time” mix, the first section really plays to the melodies and vocals of the album while stripping away the emphasis of the beat. Tracks flutter around playfully grabbing for the ear’s attention but never feel to over-emphasize their presence in the moment. Flipping to the second CD or mix, stated as the “Night Time” mix, and the club focus pops up and dancing comes back.

The organic elements and overall vibe creep into every aspect of your being.

The choice of using acoustic guitars and tribal percussion throughout the production of this album plays brilliantly with the ears – bother tenderly and with childlike wonder. Take either version of “All I’m Waiting For” which features Susie Ledge. This track exudes both elements wonderfully. The tribal drums play with the mind’s mood – picturing the last moments of a day with friends near the shoreline. The guitar in the chorus lead-in of “Take me to your island, bring me to the shore” tugs at the heart’s yearning for calm moments but also asks us to join in our unique togetherness. It is a stunningly simple example of how the mood fluxes both organic and heartfelt moments.

Mixed albums create an immersive atmosphere to bask in.

Whether they are well-tuned compilations or artist works, mixed efforts are worth paying greater attention to when listening and have a special place on the shelf. It feels so easy for us, as fans, to jump from track to track on the platform of our choice, yet there is something missing in chasing the next stimulation of euphoria this way.

Chasing that experience is just that – a rabbit race where one never stops to love what they just heard. Sunsets & Bonfires invites listeners to put on the headphones or turn up the speakers and escape the hectic moments of life by constructing stunning sequences and atmosphere. Both halves of the album play out this way and the artisanship pays huge dividends.

Genres blend throughout the album to make for some golden moments.

Roger Shah’s knowledge of production isn’t limited to the elements he is familiar with and he is always pushing how he interacts with a sound each time he releases an album. After Nightride, there is plenty to expect from the experimental side of his sound. “Sunflower Fields” is perhaps the best example of Roger adapting his craft into the Sunlounger style. Here the soft acoustic guitar plays background to a dueling synthesizer lead that echoes out of the techno producer’s world. It swells and filters its way throughout the track, grooving along like a firefly dancing in the night’s sky. Play on Roger – give that beautiful vibe of Sunlounger to new crowds by blending styles.

Overall, Sunsets & Bonfires delivers blissful escapes!

The deft work Roger Shah creates under his Sunlounger alias never ceases to amaze. It captures moods and moments that feel both finite and infinite. The style – definitely an appeal for those who love the diverse moods of the Balearic Islands – returns repeatedly to whisk the mind away from the here and now and deposits one into the beyond.

Sunsets & Bonfires maintains the moods and brings the reflective elements of living in 2021 – meditation tugs at the undertow, lost moments with those we share life with breath throughout, and the willingness for all of us to escape from our worries. Perhaps “The Sun Will Rise Again” featuring Susie Ledge sums it up best: “But I know the Sun will rise again, rise again.” Roll on Sunlounger – keep us driving toward better days!

Sunlounger – Sunsets & Bonfires – Tracklist:

CD 1 (Day Time) (Chilled Mixes) – CD 2 (Night Time) (Club Mixes)

Sunsets & Bonfires

Sail Away ft. Susie Ledge

Halong Bay

All I’m Waiting For ft. Susie Ledge

Sayang ft. Jentayu

The Day I Tried You ft. Inger Hansen

Run ft. Susie Ledge & Inger Hansen

Sunflower Fields

The Sun Will Rise Again ft. Susie Ledge

The Other Side ft. Susie Ledge

Memories ft. Inger Hansen

Don’t Stop Me From Falling ft. Susie Ledge

OK ft. Susie Ledge & Inger Hansen

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