Last Day of Summer, the six-song debut outing from Regina-based People of the Sun, is a vibe-y, earthy affair that serves up a spicy blend of jazz, hip hop, R&B, funk and soul.
Helmed by JUNO award-winner Eric Mehlsen on guitar, the group is rounded out by MC Info Red, MC and producer Origin of Spin, and singer-songwriters Nini Jegz and ADEOLUWA, with additional support from the versatile keys of Ethan Reoch, the in-the-pocket drumming of Cyprian Henry, and the bass hooks of Rob Lane. Given the broad range of talent in this band, collectively this cohesive eight-piece work to create a sonic imprint most comparable to the Roots or, reaching back further, Arrested Development, while also achieving a sound that is uniquely all their own.
Recorded entirely live, Last Day of Summer creates a great deal of its beauty and originality from its imperfections. It has an organic, spontaneous feel akin to an old Motown one-and-done style. It's an old school reel-to-reel souns that makes the recording "real" — the vocals can be at pitchy at times, the MCs take audible breaths, the solos sometimes stray mildly from the chord changes, but this is what is part of the EP's charm; it's an exact snapshot of a specific moment in musical time and, in this day and age, raw honesty in music can be a rare gem.
Kicking off with the infectious energy of "The Lick," Last Day of Summer works best when the band lay back and take on a medium-tempo groove, which is highlighted on tracks like "Sunday Cruise" or "Lift Ya Head." In truth, though, every song is memorable, given the variety of musicians on the stage; the whole thing is imbued with hooks — it's essentially a shiny slice of positivity. People of the Sun are coming along at just the right time to get us through these dark winter months.
(Sharp 5 Records)Helmed by JUNO award-winner Eric Mehlsen on guitar, the group is rounded out by MC Info Red, MC and producer Origin of Spin, and singer-songwriters Nini Jegz and ADEOLUWA, with additional support from the versatile keys of Ethan Reoch, the in-the-pocket drumming of Cyprian Henry, and the bass hooks of Rob Lane. Given the broad range of talent in this band, collectively this cohesive eight-piece work to create a sonic imprint most comparable to the Roots or, reaching back further, Arrested Development, while also achieving a sound that is uniquely all their own.
Recorded entirely live, Last Day of Summer creates a great deal of its beauty and originality from its imperfections. It has an organic, spontaneous feel akin to an old Motown one-and-done style. It's an old school reel-to-reel souns that makes the recording "real" — the vocals can be at pitchy at times, the MCs take audible breaths, the solos sometimes stray mildly from the chord changes, but this is what is part of the EP's charm; it's an exact snapshot of a specific moment in musical time and, in this day and age, raw honesty in music can be a rare gem.
Kicking off with the infectious energy of "The Lick," Last Day of Summer works best when the band lay back and take on a medium-tempo groove, which is highlighted on tracks like "Sunday Cruise" or "Lift Ya Head." In truth, though, every song is memorable, given the variety of musicians on the stage; the whole thing is imbued with hooks — it's essentially a shiny slice of positivity. People of the Sun are coming along at just the right time to get us through these dark winter months.
