The first time I saw The Ruby Suns play live, the moment didn’t last long and there wasn’t much room to move let alone even breathe. Of course, this was normal for a SXSW day party where all the “it” bands were playing. However, even with the two or three songs I did hear, I knew that I would get along well with their smooth falsetto vocals and cool, tropical flows.
Led by the genius who is Ryan McPhun, who was born in California but is now a New Zealand native, The Ruby Suns have a very surreal texture to them. Their songs are composed of hundreds of layers but each of those layers have a distinct quality that tease the ear drum. Their latest album, Fight Softly, (via Sub Pop Records, of course) surprisingly leans the new chillwave genre, but I can’t really say anything bad about that when it has given birth to great songs such as “Sun Lake Rinsed” (featured in April’s mixtape) and “Two Humans.” Also, even on that note in regards to chillwave, their latest single “Cinco” has some hard hitting beats.
The video for “Cinco” is ferocious in its own way. Now, when you first see all these grandpas and grandmas, you may think ferocious as the wrong term but I suggest you watch the entire video though. You may just change your mind. Directed by Liam Bachler, the clip features a black night sky, very white basketballs and old people in slow motion. Watch it below and grab their track, “Closet Astrologer.”
WILD TONIC 