Sun Araw
Sun Araw is the working title of a project helmed by former Austinite Cameron Stallones. Sun Araw has drawn compelling comparisons to such varied sources as Afro-beat, Neil Young, and Spacemen 3. Sun Araw has released a number of well-received and continually groundbreaking full-lengths with his fifth album Ancient Romans, being released by Drag City in August last year.
Cameron Stallones began his musical career as a founding member of the experimental psychedelic rock collective Magic Lantern. Soon after, demos originally intended to light the Lantern became the first Sun Araw LP: The Phynx. Sun Araw blossomed as a solo project in attempted geosynchronous orbit with the Eternal Now: oblique six-dimensional transmissions from changeless environs. Structural and spiritual inspiration for Sun Araw comes primarily from Cameron’s first artistic love: film and filmmakers, especially those invested in the long-take (Tarkovsky, Altman, Bela Tarr, Greenaway). Devoted to long-form mantric music, the ethos is similar: straight lampin’ in deep focus, angle after angle on the melodic object, gaining strength from the subsequent breakdown of the illusion of fixed perspective.
Since 2007, 4 full-length LPs, 3 EPs, and 5 cassettes have walked the mind-planes from psychedelic drone to melted afrobeat, from warped dub to minimal composition. These releases have been praised in Wire Magazine (who selected Heavy Deeds as one of the top 50 records of 2008, and On Patrol in the top 50 of 2010), The New Yorker, The New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, Uncut Magazine, Mojo, Pitchfork, and beyond. Sun Araw has performed in the US, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand with hundreds of artists including luminaries like Christian Fennesz and Konono No. 1.
In early 2011, Cameron and M. Geddes Gengras traveled to Jamaica where they produced and recorded a collaboration album with roots reggae legends The Congos, set for release in the fall. While in and around Kingston, they also began producing dancehall singles and tracking local toasters under the name Duppy Gun Productions, which will be seeing release this summer. Spiraling outwards along mandalic patterns, Sun Araw has become a total vehicle for artistic expression as Cameron creates the extensive artwork for each release, writes detailed liner notes, and has directed the music video for the single “Deep Cover.”
For Unsound Festival New York Sun Araw will be playing live in expanded form with some special visual elements.
Sun Araw will also be DJing a set of Disco Hermetics with Heat Wave at the Sunday festival closing event.
