Slow Dancing Society is Washington based musician Drew Sullivan.
“Under the Sodium Lights” is his fourth full album release for the Australian label Hidden Shoal Recordings.
Though the music on “Under the Sodium Light” can definitely be “filed under ambient”, it also has a ‘pop music’/’post-rock’ feel that may also appeal to listeners outside the ambient genre.
To illustrate that, Sullivan references a long list of influences, including (among others) Brian Eno, Tears For Fears, Pink Floyd, Prince, Spandau Ballet, Sigur Rós, Hammock, Red House Painters and My Morning Jacket.
I guess he is referring to ‘production values’ – the way the sound production is approached – more than the musical style, since the music of these artists is sometimes hardly comparable to that on this album.
But Hammock comes close indeed. And Sigur Rós.
Some tracks (‘By Your Side’, for instance) did remind me of Apollo, the classic album Brian Eno recorded with Daniel Lanois.
Though all these comparisions may give an idea about Slow Dancing Society‘s music, it’s best to judge the music itself instead of comparing it to others. So forget all references and check out the music as unbiased as possible.
Under the Sodium Light proves to stand very well on its own!
A calm and warm atmosphere, with some melancholic undercurrents of nostalgia:
“If one were to compare the music of Slow Dancing Society to anything, it would be our memories and our past. Which is probably why one will experience such a sense of nostalgia and an overall coloring of sentimental values when they listen to the music.”
As an appetizer for this album, the single track “…and to the dust we shall return” can be downloaded for free, including the (rather frightening) video by Latvian filmmaker and artist Ieva Balode.