Liam Maloney

Suuns return with the clattering, corrosive track “Wave”

Canadian artrockers Suuns make their return with “Wave”, their first new music since releasing their excellent fifth album The Witness. They prove once again their shapeshifting talents as a band: on The Witness, they showcased their instincts in a liminal space. But “Wave” shows a different, more cacophonous side to Suuns, leaning into pixellated shoegaze guitars and corrosive bursts of noise. Guitarist/singer Ben Shemie’s vocals are pitched to sinister effect, in what almost sounds like a fever dream taking place on the surface of the sun.

“While touring The Witness, between plane rides, car rides, van rides, and text threads, we started working on new music,” Shemie comments. “New sounds and a new approach seemed to take shape while testing new material. What started to emerge were really slow songs, some strange experimentations, and some unclassifiable jams. Amongst these tunes, ‘Wave’ emerged. One of SUUNS’ simplest songs, drawing on our classic rock and roll background and a nod to our Montreal brethren The Besnard Lakes.”

Whether “Wave” is a standalone track or the first glimpse of a new album is still unclear, but the latter – based on Shemie’s words – seems rather likely, and that is good news. Furthermore it piques interest in Suuns’ stylistic shift to abrasive and heavy sonics compared to the relatively mellow and dare-I-say pretty sounds of their previous LP.

Listen below, and find “Wave” on streaming outlets.


“Wave” is out via Joyful Noise. Follow Suuns on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.