DIY Leeds duo Sunflower Thieves are back with their second EP, Same Blood. The sophomore release comes two years after the delivery of their stunning debut Someone To Be There For.
The EP opens with lead single ‘How Was America’, a tale of old friends catching up after a period of separation. The track showcases a new, dark, gritty sound for Sunflower Thieves, however it carries their signature harmonic quality, too. The vocals ache in line with the haunting soundscape to reflect the loss you feel when grieving a friendship.
Next ‘Driving Lessons’ follows suit tackling the topics of anxiety, therapy and learning how to drive. Again, the vocals take focus here, with the electronic sounds, synths and folksy harmonies continuing.
Title track ‘So Far So Good’ explores loneliness and disconnection through the lens of religion. The vocals are ethereal as they ponder “I wonder how it feels to have faith and nothing else”. Although the track is the most folky of the whole EP, it still delivers an edge of anxiety that matches the feel of the lyrical content.
‘Same Blood’ is a unique type of love song about female friendships, the ones that are actually more like sisters than friends. The vocals are candy sweet and the production shimmers; this one is sonically happier and more upbeat than its counterparts, but equally effective in evoking nostalgia.
Softly strummed guitar, angelic vocals and delicate piano work in tandem on the eerie ‘West Park Drive’ to close the EP on a reflective note. The track looks back in melancholy at a “halfway house, feels like home”. The ending sounds like a piano being played under water, with fuzzy indecipherable voices layered on top of rain sounds.
Same Blood is an EP rooted in sisterhood from two childhood friends navigating the emotional turmoil of life. You are instantly taken by the intimate production and the closeness of the vocals. Dreamy, beautiful and bittersweet, Sunflower Thieves will have you listening over and over again.