Sun Mahshene

Shoegaze is a lot more diverse than people know. Most associated with the dreamy, cosmic numbers that Slowdive created (and displayed by Neonic Sundrive above), but it can also be dark and exhilarating. Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, for instance, infuse a lot of shoegaze into their dark neo-psychedelia. A Place To Bury Strangers layered shoegaze with post-punk and krautrock elements. Even bands like U2, The Killers, and Snow Patrol have adopted some of the shoelace gazing into their music. This just shows that shoegaze can also be titanic and anthemic, which is what Irish collective Sun Mahshene have done with “Tales of Fiction”.

Hold on your to your hats and buckle in because this song is an explosive ride. The only moment of reprieve occurs in the opening drum roll, and after that the track builds and accelerates. It’s one part Ride and Jesus and The Mary Chain and another part The Killers, which, in other words, is a song meant to be played in the cavernous enclaves of Slane Castle or Hyde Park. There’s no way an enclosed arena could contain the power, ferocity, and energy of this track. The trio of guitars blaze the trail while the rhythms and keys are the thunder that follows the lightning strikes. In their wake are people like us who are left stunned from the storm that has passed.

Another storm awaits come October, when Sun Mahshene’s debut album, Contradictions & Tales of Fiction, arrives. The band consists at any one time Nathan Henderson (guitar/vocals), Ian McGinn (guitar), Ryan Daffy (guitar/backing vocals), Darren Hughes (bass), Ray Burke (percussion/backing vocals), David Murray (drums/percussion), Robert Crosbie (keys), and Raagini (drones). - The Revue

Dublin’s Sun Mahshene are dedicated to doing their own thing. Indeed, frontman Nathan Henderson started the project having grown tired with the local band scene back in 2014. Initially a solo endeavour where he played all instruments himself, over the years a revolving door of musicians have joined their live set-up, including an additional two guitarists for an extra live ‘oomph’.

On record, their various influences have blended into a uniquely dark take on psychedelic hard rock: it owes more than a little to British shoegaze, although filtered through grunge and even Krautrock. ‘No Control’ off 2016’s Drones That Don’t Kill EP opens with a wailing wall of guitars that sound like an air-raid siren, before leading into a motorik beat that propels the song’s strongly melodic verses. There’s more than a hint of Soundgarden’s signature duelling-guitar squall on the hard-rocking ‘In The End’, where David Murray’s Bonham-esque drumming adds a powerful extra dimension.

Showcasing their lighter side is ‘Shine Your Light’, whose wavy guitars and summery vocals are pitched somewhere between fellow Dubliners My Bloody Valentine and The Stone Roses. It certainly is reminiscent of Britpop’s finer moments and, indeed, the sixties psychedelic pioneers that inspired it, but given a stronger, harder edge.

They’ve developed a cult-following through gigs in Dublin and further afield, receiving glowing reviews in international blogs as well as at home. Among their fans is Andy Bell of shoegaze pioneers Ride, who would know a thing or two about noisy psychedelia .

As for 2018, the band have live dates booked in Ireland and England, and promise to release a new record. In an indie rock climate where the likes of Tame Impala, Pond and Temples are bringing psych-rock back to the forefront, there’s not telling how far this year can take Sun Mahshene. Caolan Coleman - The Thin Air Magazine

Combining a vivid shoegaze fuzz with the sensibilities of Madchester, Dublin outfit Sun Mahshene are a swirling and hypnotic blast of attitude and swagger. ‘No Control’ confidently struts down streets of psychedelic fury. There’s no tripping out here. Just defiance, anger, and, maybe, a rake of substances. Taken from their upcoming EP Drones That Don’t Kill. - Overblown

We caught up with Nathan Henderson from Sun Mahshene last month after their set in Sin É Dublin, to get to know them a little better and try and decipher the inner workings of those blissful psychedelic tunes

Tell us a bit about yourselves?

N: My name is Nathan Henderson and I’m the chief songwriter, vocalist and guitarist in Sun Mahshene. Myself and the other core members of the group make up a 6 piece indie/psych rock n roll outfit from Dublin. The other members are Ian McGinn on guitar, Ryan Daffy on Guitar, Darren Hughes on bass, Dave Murray on drums and Ray Burke on percussion and backing vocals. We also have some other players who stand in if we’re short. They are Stephen Mooney on guitar, Graham Matthews on guitar, Martin Fagan on bass and Tom Moylan on drums.

How did ‘Sun Mahshene’ come about?

N: It originally started out as a bit of a “bedroom” project for me back in 2014. I was in between bands and putting down ideas in my home studio to keep myself entertained. But once I put some demos up online it soon grew legs. There was a good bit of positive feedback coming in so I decided to work on taking it to the next level. The early incarnation of the band consisted of friends who I had previously played in bands with, who agreed to helped me to get the ball rolling. Dave is the only one left in the current line up from those early rehearsal sessions. There’s been a bit of a revolving door of members but we’ve a settled core group of players now.

Tell us about what it was like when you first started writing music and coming up with your sound?

N: Before Sun Mahshene I was involved in mainly indie rock bands with sounds along the lines of The La’s, Oasis, The Stone Roses, that sort of thing. So this time around I wanted to create something with a bigger, more raw and darker sound. It was when delving into the Shoegaze, Neo-Psych and Garage rock genre’s the my vision became clearer of what I wanted to achieve sound wise. I did a lot of research on how my favourite bands from these genre’s achieved their sounds from what guitar pedals and amps they used right up to the type of guitar strings and different tuning scales. I’ve a box in my studio that’s absolutely full of guitar pedals. It’s been a fantastic voyage of discovery so far and a lot of fun. And long may it continue!

You released your fourth EP ‘Drones That Don’t Kill’ last year tell us a bit about the EP?

N: Yeah, the EP was released on New Years Eve. We recorded it at Darklands Audio in Dublin and was co produced with Daniel Doherty who’s the main man there. Working with Dan was great and a nice learning experience. He chipped in with some good advice and little ideas to help us fine tune things. It was our way of closing off what was an eventful year for the band. 2016 was a year that we worked hard on establishing the line up and creating a cohesive live sound. So we wanted to put something out, for ourselves more so than anything else, so that we had something to show for our hard work. And we’re happy with the overall reception it has gotten since it was released.

Do you have a favourite track on the EP?

N: Mine has to be the lead track, ‘No Control’.It’s an absolute belter of a rock n roll tune and great to play live! It’s also Darren’s go too tune. Ryan and Dave are into ‘Shine Your Light’ and Ian is into ‘In The End’. Martin Fagan, who was our bass player at the time of recording the EP, loves the bonus track ‘I Love You’ which plays on the tail end of ‘You’.

The tracks are hazy and soaked in blissful twisted psychedelia with enough fuzz and heaviness to keep it punchy but it’s still ridiculously dizzying and delusional tell us how you achieve this sound and what drove you to create a mirage of darkly saturated tunes?

N: We wanted to do something which not many are doing here at the moment. Or certainly not in Dublin. There are some good indie bands doing the jangley thing but we’re more interested in playing tunes with a bit more bombast to them. So we’ve got 3 guitarists rather than the standard 1 or 2 you’d get in a lot of bands. It adds extra weight to our sound and an extra dimension to how we play.

The track ‘In The End’ was co-written and features vocals from Lydia Des Dolles of Daag Hur, how did that collaboration come about?

N: I was part of an early lineup of Daag Hur with Lydia and we had recorded a demo of In The End before I left the band. The song used to be called Before The Light Fades which had different lyrics and slightly different melody which I used to sing. We reworked the lyrics and vocal melody to suit her style of singing. After I left I thought it’d be a waste not to put the song out on something and so asked Lydia if she’d be cool with it being a Sun Mahshene release. She was happy to go with it and the result was great.

There is a lot going on in your tracks with swirling soundscapes meandering through droning sometimes explosive percussion and sharp piercing guitar arrangements talk us through the writing and producing process for your songs?

N: I have a studio at home and write all of the parts for the songs and take them to the rest of the guys. It’s probably not the most democratic of bands but once an idea is brought to the everyone the feel changes somewhat as their different styles of playing add extra personality to things.

How do you find the recording process is there anything in particular you find difficult?

N: We love being in the studio and recording. It’s extrememly gratifying to hear something you’ve been working on in rehearsals come together. Sometimes you’re focused on your own parts of the song when rehearsing making sure you’re getting it right. So it can be easy to miss or not fully take in what everyone is doing. So once it’s put down in the studio you get to hear the consolidation of everyone’s input fully. I think the most difficult thing is the mixing process. We tend to layer up a lot of different sounds and guitar effects so the impact of certain songs can be lost when there’s too much going on. We really need to sit down and make some tough decisions on what parts need to be stripped out to ensure the song we happen to be working on can be as good as can possibly be. Drones That Don’t Kill was co produced with Daniel Doherty. So he helped push the song in the right direction and offered great advice.

Tell us about the concept for the cover art for the EP?

N: The cover art was a summary of what a crazy year 2016 was politically. Both on a national level and internationally. We had the Irish Water debacle happening, Brexit in the UK and then the Trump farce in the US. So we wanted to captured that somehow. It goes back to what Nina Simone once said, an artist’s duty is to reflect the times.

What is a live show with you guys like?

N: Loud, sweaty and full of melody. We’re probably not the most animated bunch on stage. But we hope the music does the speaking for us. Although, Darren on bass does enjoy a bop.

How do you get a crowd warmed up and ready to engage and rock out with you guys?

N: Our set is full on from start to finish so our ethos at the moment is to kick the door down and ask questions later in that respect. There’s no better way to catch someones attention by blowing their heads off. As an unsigned band you have to do something which will capture people’s attentions right from the start. But we’re constantly working on new ideas on how to change things up a bit so I’m sure how we deliver our shows will evolve into something else as time goes on.

Have you had any bizarre things happen while you were on stage?

N: At one show we played, a guy in the audience loved our stuff so much he started throwing beer mats at Ian. He was punching the air and giving rock signs with his hands. I don’t think Ian even realised what was happening. He’s a typical shoegazer, once the song starts his head drops down when he’s playing. So it was funny to have beer mats flying past our heads like frisbies. We got off lightly though because the guy threw a bar stool at the headline act because he was so into their stuff. Luckily it didn’t make it on to the stage. I guess people can have a funny way of showing their appreciation. Either way we’re glad he liked it!

What is your favourite venue to perform in so far and why?

N: Out of the venues we’ve played so far it’s probably The Workmans Club in Dublin. They have great sound engineers there and the venue is a nice size. As an added bonus, we all manage to fit on the stage which can be a struggle for us in other venues.

What has been your biggest challenge as a band? Have you been able to overcome that challenge? If so, how?

N: The biggest challenge is when one of the core members can’t do one of our shows. It can be at short notice, so getting one of our stand ins up to speed with new songs can be tricky. But everyone that comes in to play for us are great musicians so they generally pick up on things fairly quickly. We haven’t had to cancel a show yet and long may it continue.

What advice do you have for people who want to form their own band?

N: Forget about trying to be the next big thing or trying to sound like what the flavour of the month is on the radio or whatever platform you listen to music on. Do what ever feels right and inspires you. And ultimately enjoy yourself. The hardwork will pay off in the end.

What’s next for ‘Sun Mahshene’?

N: We’ve a couple of shows coming up, one in Stage 19 on Francis Street, Dublin on the 14th of October. We’ll have great support on the night from Segrasso and Free Sunshine Acid. Then we’re in with the good folks at Gigonometry on the 20th of November in The Workmans Club, Dublin. We’re also demoing our debut album which we aim to begin recording early next year. - Indie Buddie

The Indie, Psychedelic, Dream Rock band Sun Mahshene take to the stage. The live line up on the night Nathan Henderson (Guitars, Vocals), Ian McGinn (guitars), Ryan Daffy (guitar, backing vocals), Darren Hughes (bass), David Murray (drums) and Ray Burke (Percussion, backing vocals with the help of Edward Ãspel at times -a speed demon on tambourine). The lads cramped on the stage, begin their blissfully divine set. It becomes fast apparent these guys have something amazing the melodies are liquid gold, honey drizzled and euphoric backed by a mirage of hallucinogenic mind-bending soundscapes. Henderson’s sweet vocals are velvety smooth and soothing lulling you safely into the swirling abyss of their sound. The shrilling sharp guitar stings with hypnotic wah wah and distortion it’s absolutely mind melting. The sound is crisp raw yet refined while also placing you in a trance-like opiate state of ecstasy. They exude an effortless cool laid-back swagger and charm without even trying. Live these guys are simply amazing they don’t need much space they don’t need to move around. The floppy narcotic tunes dig deep with nostalgic melodies and interweaving guitars the sound is just sublime. From the groovy, elastic ‘Shine Your Light’ to the 90’s tinged sweet ‘Love Jam’ their tracks ooze a sense of longing and yearning. There is a subtle heft and weight droning throughout even in the most weightless and floaty moments this makes for a fantastic wholly enthralling live experience. Everything else disappears it’s just you and the blissful captivating sound that is Sun Mahshene. Finishing their set with the attention grabbing ‘When the Bomb Drops’ they hold the attention of the room. The audience members move forward to the stage to mosh as the 10 minute track concludes with a exploding instrumental. Symbols in the air they raised the roof. These guys are a must see live and have fast become one of my favourite bands. - Indie Buddie

SUN MAHSHENE

The dark side of the sun, to coin a phrase? A solo vehicle for multi-instrumentalist Nathan Henderson, the project soon became a sprawling collective including a three-pronged guitar attack – not for the faint of heart then. But while they’re skilled at creating immense psych-rock soundscapes, there’s also a deft touch on show when things move towards shoegaze-y territory. Drones That Don’t Kill, a contender for 2016’s most drolly titled release, landed on New Year’s Eve, the third EP to further the impression that a serious musical force may be in our midst. 2017 should see further releases along with an eagerly awaited string of live shows. A spellcheck’s nightmare they may be, but prepare for them to leave your ears ringing with joy at some point this year.

HEAR: The new EP at sunmahshene.bandcamp.com

SEE: The retro-tastic promo for ‘No Control’ on YouTube - Hot Press Magazine

They say: “ ‘No Control’ is a retrospective about someone who is doing a good job at being manipulative and controlling without the other person realising it at the time and coming out the other side of all of that. I guess we've all been guilty of seeing someone through rose tinted glasses when we shouldn't have at some point or another.

Sonically, I wanted to try best in catching the anger and vitriol that goes along with all of those emotions. The song doesn't let up and keeps pumping from the get go. No Control is the angriest of all of the tracks on our EP.

The other songs mainly reference love and relationships and the ups and downs that go along with them. The overall theme of the ‘Drones That Don't Kill’ EP is love and war.”

We say: “With swirling guitars and a classic post-punk feel, ‘No Control’ reminds us a little of Interpol with a noisy twist. You can feel the anger in the lyrics and coupled with some surprise slide guitar this thumping track has really worked it’s way into our hearts at team ATL.

‘No Control’ is taken from the ‘Drones That Don’t Kill’ EP and is available to stream for free now. - BBC Across The Line

‘Drones That Don’t Kill’ is the follow-up EP to Dublin based neo-psychedelic/noise rock collective, Sun Mahshene’s 2015 EP ‘When the Bomb Drops’. The band (Nathan Henderson – guitars, vocals; Iain McGinn – guitars; Martin Fagan – bass; David Murray – drums, percussion) have already built a reputation for crafting dense atmospherics and steering sonic frequencies wherever they so please with the latter EP and debut ‘On Blood’. ‘Drones That Don’t Kill’ is no exception.
The EP opens with the air-raid siren-like tones, throbbing bassline and percussive ramshackle of No Control, where overdriven guitar oscillations wave in and out of wailing lead vocals. Though intense, the track is inherently hypnotic despite some of the more melodic guitar parts being overshadowed by deafening soundscapes. On Shine Your Light the band channel their inner Ride, driven by warm, fuzzy, washed out, psychedelic guitars but an undeniably pop-sensible chorus.
Something of a departure from the prior two tracks, EP highlight The End features additional vocals from Lydia Des Dolles of Daag Hur notoriety, offering a lovely foil to Henderson’s dominating baritone. Though as noisy as its counterparts, the track features a pounding rhythm section that would have as fitting a place on a ‘70s glam rock track.
This is followed up by You which is bolstered by a devil may care nonchalance. Though sonically in keeping with the rest of the material, it is at this point that the group’s signature sound starts to overstay its welcome. Bonus track I Love You is a welcome treat. Beneath all of the hiss and fire of McGinn and Henderson’s overcharged guitars is a sickly sweet pop tune, owing something to the noise-pop stalwarts of yesteryear The Jesus and Mary Chain.
Their drones may not kill, but they have the potential to hypnotise and mesmerise. Within these five tracks, Sun Mahshene have added a little more colour to their sonic palette. A worthwhile EP, ‘Drones That Don’t Kill‘ makes for a rewarding listen and a good teaser for a future full-length. - Golden Plec

Dublin based experimental psych/noise collective ‘Sun Mahshene’ have been quietly busying themselves behind the scenes over the past two years creating intense soundscapes and manipulating sonic frequencies to do their bidding. They have just released their third EP entitled ‘Drones That Don’t Kill’, their first since 2015’s ‘When The Bomb Drops’ and it is absolutely magical. The band are made up of Nathan Henderson – guitars & vocals, Iain McGinn – guitars, Martin Fagan – bass & David Murray – drums & percussion and you can get your hands on the full EP to buy/download over at sunmahshene.bandcamp.com

The EP opens up swirling deftly in a droning whirlwind of noisy frequencies and explosive percussion. ‘No Control’ licks and undulates into a meandering supercharged beast, filled with driving percussion, throbbing baselines and melodious guitars that are overshadowed at times by immense arcing guitar drones that whip in and out of wailing vocalisations instilling a kind of hypnotic intensity over proceedings and thus keeping this listener very interested indeed. A bloody marvellous opening track. Up next the band wear their influences on their sleeves with ‘Shine Your Light’. I can hear ‘BJM, Warlocks and seminal UK stalwarts Spiritualized’ echoing all over this piece. Brilliantly executed and packed full of fuzzy psychedelic imprints to soothe your soul after a festive period of overindulgence.

Up next is my favourite track on this entire release. ‘The End’ pulses into audible range held fast in a cacophony of noise as it’s pounding drums and reverberating guitar frequencies envelope the instantly recognisable vocals courtesy of the brilliant Lydia Des Dolles (Daag Hur). This swirling behemoth moves and arcs through walls of frequential noise as it’s hypnotic sonic incantations meld effortlessly with throbbing bass lines and explosive drum patterns to take you on an intensely malicious sonic journey. Utterly delectable and deeply psychedelic this track is worthy of your ears and is a recommendation from me.

The EP’s penultimate piece is a noisy nonchalant affair. Just when you think ‘Sun Mahshene’ have hit the nail on the head musically they throw in a curve ball. ‘You’ swerves in and out of alt-rock territory at times as it’s noisy guitar lines and steadying drums hold court throughout pulling the almost metronomic verse progressions into explosive chorus passages. Vocally it’s faultless, but it’s a bit too same-same for me. The closing piece on the EP is different story altogether. ‘I Love You’ is a stunning bonus addition to the release when you buy it from bandcamp. It’s central spine is a throbbing repetitive baseline in the vein of ‘Jesus And Mary Chain’ with a wonderful vocal and noisy growling guitars all rattling collectively on a bedrock of shuddering percussion. A fitting end to an interesting EP. More of this please!

4/5 - Primal Music Blog

In the last three years I have discovered and shared with you over 1500 bands; however only a few of them have produced on me that hypnotic effect in which sometimes I find myself , playing their melodies in my head over and over again.

One of these bands is Sun Mahshene an Irish musical collaboration led by Nathan Henderson. The first time I listened the song 'Coming Home To You’, featuring Lydia Des Dolles (also known as 'Daäg Hur’ and previously a member of the Irish band 'Sweet Jane’) it was a rewarding, an awakening of a part of me from a long slumber coming from the 90’s. It sprouted again on me, 25 years later, the sound that made me vibrate a long time back when I discovered in the Dublin and London streets and clubs of the 90’s, the new fresh sounds, at the same time delirious, of a generation whose legacy, fortunately, endures.

'Coming Home To You’ represents only the first nuance from the album of the same name,released in December 2014 via Deathcapades Records. Listening 'Shadows Dance (Demo)’, the next cut of the EP, I could notice that it was not a mirage; the evolution of indie and its merger with psychedelia in a twang, in a mind expanding miscellany. There I was, myself alone, in front of a band that with their folk touches on “Lord I’m Feeling Down”, was enthralling me for ever.

The next job in Sun Mahsene, 'On Blood EP’, released in January 2015 again through Deathcapades Music, represents another step in an upward path, manufacturing on a solid base, a stronger sound, more sonic melodies, turning increasingly towards the neo-psychedelia and psychgaze.

The track 'On Blood’, is a blast of sound built around voices and guitars coming together in a whirlwind of images and sounds, and flows from the rock of the 70’s far beyond the independent barriers of the 90s Britpop. 'Love Jam’ is simply a delight, a music delicatessen that makes you navigate in an intimate contemplation of sounds, fuzz and extracorporeal vibrations. From minute 2:47, close your eyes and let yourself go.

The third track off the album 'A Morphing hydrogenous Bubble Exploding In Your Head Jam’ is a rock bare session, unapologetic, skin deep. A desire fulfilled.

The two EPs 'Coming Home To You’ & 'On Blood’ are the prelude, prophecy, of what is to date their latest album 'When the Bomb Drops EP’, in which the psychedelia takes a great role, as a layer in sound that does not hide the substrate of previous work, but enhances, by providing to the band all the necessary nuances to reach the top.

'When the Bomb Drops’ and 'Demons Gold (Demo)’, mesmerize, and the intimacy of 'Faceless Crowd (Demo)’, convince and excite.

Nathan is surrounded on Sun Mahshene of excellent musicians: Graham Matthews (guitar), Ian McGinn (Guitar), Shane Roche (keyboards, synths and backing vocals), Martin Fagan (bass) and David Murray (drums), giving context, warp and weft threads to the arsenal of their incisive sounds and hypnotic guitars.

Natham also knows to surround himself with talented musicians in collaborations that still have a lot to say and tell as 'Sun, Sky & Echoes’, with our beloved and admired François Sky (musical experimentalist, and versatile creator of instrumental jewels), & Gary Hughes (from Helicon) and his wife Laura, inventors of new sounds in Rise of The Echo Drone.

Sun Mahshene announces the final touches of new songs and the release of a new EP in a short period of time. We are looking forward to listening the new material that certainly not leave anyone indifferent. His talent, naturalness, freshness, proven experience, knowledge, instrumental solidity, and professionalism, will rise Sun Mahshene to something great. I hope to stay there to tell the tale and enjoy.

by Ansel Garcia - Psychgazer Blog

Since forming Sun Mahshene back in 2014, Dubliner Nathan Henderson has been busy, as his troupe have put out three EP’s and just recently recruited a sixth member. However for this gig Henderson is only joined by David Murray (Drums), Martin Fagan (Bass) and Ian McGinn (Guitar/Noise!), with Graham Matthews (Guitar) and Shane Roche (Keys/Synths) both missing out for a variety of reasons. Opening with When the Bomb Drops, a near 10 minute jam that grabs ones attention from the off, its clear that not only do these lads have the odd psych record in their collections, but also tip their hat to the likes of Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, The Jesus & Mary Chain and The Verve. There is a mellower side to their performance during the slow Love Jam, aside from the wailing guitars that ebb and flow throughout, while ‘I Love You’ contains the delicious indie pop sensibilities that are usually assigned to bands of the C86 rea or Flying Nun/Dunedin sound. - The Thin Air

Sun Mahshene is a Dublin based band that formed in 2014. Nathan Henderson is the lead of this talented group of musicians. On January 2nd 2015 they released an EP titled On Blood EP. It consists of three unique tracks which definitely stands out from the crowd. It is completely psychedelic. You can really sense the influence from the days of psychedelic rock; it has that feel good vibe.

The first song on the EP is the title track, On Blood, a song written by Paul O’Connor. The guitar kick starts this song to a fast pace, quickly followed by drums, bass and more guitar. It’s simple and very catchy. The riff and chord progression get you hooked right away, and if that doesn’t the chorus with it’s anthem like vocals and harmonies will be forever in your head. This song is just like a dream, it transports you to another universe. The only criticism is that, the vocals were a bit too low down in the mix at times in comparison to the guitar. But then again perhaps that was on purpose; so that it creates that psychedelic/dream like feel. Either way this song is still awesome.

Track number two is titled Love Jam. This song is introduced by a really catchy chord progression. It just flows so well and sets mood for this song. The vocals on this track are very haunting; they create an element of mystery and make the whole song very intriguing. The drums and bass provide a moderate tempo that makes the song feel really laid back and relaxing. It’s a really nice contrast to the first song and gives the EP that bit of variety. You could call it a sort of rock ballad, based on its feel and lyrics. The song ends with an incredible guitar solo, it’s so melodic and gives the song that finishing touch. This is also a wonderful song, be sure to check it out.

The final track on the EP is both long in duration and name A Morphing Hydrogenous Bubble Exploding In Your Head Jam. I have absolutely no idea what that means, but what I do know is this song is unforgettable. It starts off with a pounding bass riff with drums backing it up that set the scale for what is to come. This song is very guitar orientated. There are a lot of licks and solos throughout, and they are amazing. They have an element of blues to them that suits the song very well and continues to create that psychedelic feel for the rest of the EP. Another element of this song that gives it that dream like feel is the keyboard solo. It has a really nice synth effect on it that fits the song perfectly. The song ends with guitar that has some sort of flanger or phaser effect on it, it’s fantastic. It makes the ending of this song huge. This is without a doubt the best track on the EP.

This EP was great. Its most noticeable element is it’s huge level of creativity and originality. This whole record just screams creativity. You could call it a piece of art because it really is just that. If you haven’t heard psychedelic/dream rock before then this will not disappoint you at all. This whole EP will take you on a journey like never before and it is an experience you won’t want to miss. Keep an eye out for this band in the future, because they have an album coming out later this year and if this EP is anything to go by, that will be just as outstanding. - Pure M

A year ago yesterday, Terry, Drew, and several other of us saw the Irish band Sun Mahshene at a bar in Dublin, Ireland. We were there for Terry's bachelor party and Terry had researched where we could catch some live music close to where we were staying. We listened to some of their stuff on Youtube and decided to arrange our schedule so we could catch them performing that Saturday. They put on a great show and we were able to purchase one of their last copies they had with them that evening of their 2016 EP "Drones That Don't Kill".

Their web site describes their sound as: Lead by Nathan Henderson, Sun Mahshene is a collective of musicians from Dublin Ireland. Their melodic hooks mixed with fuzz and grit delivers a sonic wall of sound.
This brings up a recent conversation Danette and I had last week: I stated that I thought 96X was no longer as alternative as they used to be, to which Danette countered that perhaps the definition of alternative had changed. I thought about it some and decided that probably at least part of it, because I prefer my "alternative" to stick mostly to modern interpretations of 80s and early 90s alternative music. Sun Mahshene certainly does that: a shoegazing sound with heavy influences from "Darklands"-era The Jesus and Mary Chain and "Bad Moon Rising"-era Sonic Youth. So, yeah, it's new music, but there is a clear line of sight back to what for me (and presumably for Danette, Terry, Drew, et al. as well) is real alternative music; the aural equivalent of what we in the car world call "new old stock" (see also the video for "No Control", which is reminiscent of Terry's light shows back in the day...).

The streaming EP has four tracks, but the CD has a hidden fifth track ("I Love You"). It's just a few bucks and it would be a great addition to your collection. And keeping with the theme of this post, I'm happy to have the actual CD in my collection.

Standout songs: "No Control", "In the End" (with a great guest vocal from Lydia Des Dolles that would make Hope Sandoval proud), "You", "I Love You" (hidden track)

Skip 'em songs: n/a

Final score: 7/10 - F-Measure

Fresh off their slot at Vantastival, Dublin Indie Psychgazers Sun Mahshene are set to release their new single ‘Tales of Fiction’ on the 28th of July. The track was recorded and co-produced by Dan Doherty in Darklands Audio. This is the first single to be taken from their forthcoming debut album ‘Contradictions & Tales of Fiction’ which is due for release in October 2018. Sun Mahshene started off as a solo project by guitarist, vocalist and songwriter Nathan Henderson and soon turned into a collective of talented musicians, bringing Dave Murray on board for drumming duty and Ian McGinn on rhythm and lead guitar. With a mutual ambition to create something special they decided to merge their wide range of influences and joined forces with Darren Hughes on Bass and Ryan Daffy as third guitarist.

These guys know how to make mind melting tunes and ‘Tales of Fiction’ is no different. Filled with shrilling guitars and floor shaking punchy drums and bass combination, the monstrous wall of sound this track brings is something to behold. Swirling soundscapes mystify with wispy dreamy kaleidoscopic hues while the crashing biting guitars soar, wail and glide with a relentless onslaught into your ears in the most captivating and thrilling manner that leaves you in a blissful haze of euphoria. The adrenaline rush that exudes from this track is sublime while the smooth honey drizzled melody flows in on a laid-back cloud of sweet sedation. Henderson’s vocals weave between powerfully dynamic and velvety smooth tones while oozing a fiery passion. It’s a big tune camouflaged as a sweet psych trip. Once this track kicks in it goes full throttle – psychedelic indie rock at its shoegazing fueled best. Once again Sun Mahshene produce a fresh mouth-watering slice of captivating infectiousness to sink our teeth into. - Indie Buddie

Dublin-based noise merchants ‘Sun Mahshene’ conjure up a blisteringly good lysergic brew filled to the brim with alternative led sounds, psych, shoegaze and swirling electronics on their highly anticipated new single ‘Tales Of Fiction’, penned in for release via Deathcapades Music Ltd on the 28th July 2018. High up on our list of bands to watch, ‘Sun Mahshene’ are on the forefront of Irelands own shoegaze revival, leading the sonic charge and transforming this once revered genre of music into something altogether new sounding. The musical collective is made up of Nathan Henderson – guitar/vocals, Ian McGinn – guitar, Ryan Daffy – guitar, Darren Hughes – bass, David Murray – drums, Ray Burke – percussion/backing vocals & Robert Crosbie – keys/synth. The single was recorded and co-produced in Darklands Audio (Dublin, Ireland) by Dan Doherty and written by Nathan Henderson.

‘Tales Of Fiction’ follows on from their sublime 2016 released EP ‘Drones That Don’t Kill’ and is lifted from their forthcoming debut album entitled ‘Contradictions & Tales of Fiction’ due for full release this October. The single will be available to buy/download on release day via sunmahshene.bandcamp.com and all major streaming and digital platforms. - Primal Music Blog

Brilliant Dublin-based psych/gaze collective ‘Sun Mahshene’ have announced the second single entitled ‘Come Alive (Leave This City)’ to be lifted from their forthcoming & highly anticipated debut album ‘Contradictions and Tales Of Fiction’. Penned in for release on the 11th January, ‘Come Alive (Leave This City)’ is a driving wedge of modern psych melded with swirling alternative led shoegaze with charging guitars, sizzling electronics, pounding drums and an absolutely magnificent bass line. Catchy chorus changes and that unmistakable vocal assault finish off the jam solidifying ‘Sun Mahsnene’ as one of the most exciting bands on todays underground psych scene. The band are made up of Nathan Henderson – guitar/vocals, Ian McGinn – guitar, Ryan Daffy – guitar, Darren Hughes – bass, David Murray – drums, Ray Burke – percussion/backing vocals & Robert Crosbie – keys/synth. The single was recorded and co-produced in Darklands Audio (Dublin, Ireland) with Dan Doherty.

The single will be available on all major streaming and digital platforms from Friday, January 11th 2019.

Recommended! - Primal Music Blog

Our Worth A Listen Track This Week Comes From Sun Mahshene
Dublin’s “Psychgazers”, Sun Mahshene, are set to release their fizzing new single ‘Come Alive (Leave This City)’ tomorrow the 11th January. This is the second single to be taken from their forthcoming debut album ‘Contradictions and Tales of Fiction’. It was recorded at Darklands Audio, Dublin and co-produced with Daniel Doherty.

‘Come Alive (Leave This City)’ coolly whacks out that shivering dark and wild side to Sun Mahshene’s psychedelic shoegaze. These guys have never been shy at throwing everything they have into their tracks and this new single is no different. Brimming from the start with shrilling guitars blistering through a hyper drum pound, charging bass and scalding raw electronics, this lean mean psych spun number is saturated in mind frazzling soundscapes and adrenaline inducing energy. The catchy melody drips nectar coated bliss onto the effervescent backdrop as Nathan Henderson’s deep vocals rumble the verses through the snappy drum whack and flexible bass blitz. Filled with ominous spine chilling distortion, pristine production and breathtaking musicianship- this is another killer track from Sun Mahshene. - Indie Buddie

Poised on stage amidst the purple hued smoke of dry ice, Sun Mahshene stand ready to melt our mind with their glorious psychedelic drenched tunes. The dim lighting causes their silhouettes to haunt through the smoke providing a spooky, eerie atmosphere.Their set is brimming with malleable elastic soundscapes weaving their way through sharp slinky guitars, elastic bass grooves and chiming keys as Nathan Henderson coos and warmly caresses the euphoric melodies with his velvety vocals. The distorted whines introduce opening track ‘Making The Call’ as the band peer through the shadowing mist. These guys bend their shredding raw rock and delightful sweet psychedelia seamlessly making for a gritty and diverse listening experience. Sun Mahshene are musical guru’s who leave a trail of sugary sprinkles throughout their tracks which lead you down a delicious rabbit hole craving for more. ‘The World Will Grind You Down’ and ‘This Girl I Know’ are mesmerising live as the band entwine each track in glorious layers adding rich depth to each component. There are three guitarist on stage Ryan Daffy, Ian McGinn and vocalist Henderson – this brings a new dimension and thrilling intensity to each track. These guys are also fun to watch on stage bassist Darren Hughes dances, executes all the suave guitar poses and hair flicks known to man while hopping, bopping and wiggling along to the tunes – he only stops to place a can to his brow to cool himself down while Dave Murray’s proficient drumming is a joy to watch and listen to. Backing vocals and percussion were provided by Ray Burke while Rob Crosbie took to the keys to help flesh out and adequately translate Sun Mahshene’s stunning sound.

‘The Righteous One’ is one beautiful 60’s – esque gem. Distortion on guitars fizz and bubble over a dreamy vocal and euphoric melody while punchy drums and enchanting soundscape create a dizzying sweet wall of sound to encapsulate your mind, soothing, sedating and enlightening you all at once. It’s pretty magnificent. I forgot where I was for a brief moment – the tracks are so luscious and consuming. The new single ‘Come Alive (Leave This City)’ was equally as gripping. Its anthemic chorus had members of the crowd jumping and throwing their arms in the air while that defiant beat thumped through our chests invading and controlling every bounce and bop. There was no lag or cavity in their set. Every track was engaging and blissful on the ears. These guys are growing and flourishing beautifully and with a sound that leaves you thirsty to hear more their live show is the perfect medium to guzzle up their dazzling sound and refreshing tunes.

The band closed their set with the effervescent ‘When The Bomb Drops’. However the crowd refused to allow that be the end, they demanded the band return for an encore. As they shouted for “No Control” Henderson shrugs and timidly obliges “Right we’ll do it”. ‘No Control’ takes the roll of the final track in its stride. Sulky and brooding it swarms in with dark tones, shrilling guitars, reverb vocals and a magnificent wall of sound that rushes adrenaline and fiery intensity into your veins. This exhilarating track was the perfect closing tune.

‘Come Alive (Leave This City)’ is released on 15/02/19 make sure to check it out. These guys have something special. - Indie Buddie