The Beach Side of Life
Sunlounger
Despite the Mai Tai cocktail not changing much since its creation, its continued formulaic composition has never affected its reputation as “the” tropical drink. Like that umbrella-clad libation, so too has Roger Shah’s rock-steady reverence to beachy ambience over pounding big room beats made his Sunlounger moniker a staple of the Ibiza-style sound. The third album is the same dune bike we’ve been riding the last three years, just a different color and with new spokes. What defines the Sunlounger brand is Shah’s ability to create an atmosphere that feels so recognizably summer: the watery synth textures, the whining guitars, the soft-edged bass pulse. Close your eyes, and it’s impossible not to picture gently pawing waves, the sensual flicker of torch light, and the taste of sea air on your lips. Already on its fourth single release, the album maintains the double-disc Sunlounger trademark of dual presentation of all songs. One is an ambient chill breakdown and the other a bangin’ club track; both offer unique ways to appreciate the instrumentation and ethereal vocals. Head straight for “Beautiful Night,” “Found,” and “Breaking Waves.”
