The Shadow Committee

The EP effortlessly combines distorted guitar riffs and soothing piano lines, creating a sound that honours the many influences of composer Josh Rayman.

Entrée sets the scene with a sound scape, harking with the cries of effect driven guitar and an almost tribal drum beat, before sliding neatly into the EPs second track Blackadder Rides Again. My personal favourite track from Sunshine Paradise, Blackadder Rides Again is carried by a powerful bass line which adds depth and contrasts the use of synths later in the song, allowing Rayman to further explore his talents.

Long way From Home takes the EP in a new direction, introducing a darker side to The Shadow Committee with the aid of heavy distortion and guitar solos. Title track Sunshine Paradise again takes the EP onto a new path however continues to take the listener back to the use of evocative effects that rang throughout Entrée. The delicate piano melody allows the song to slowly ease down the pace of the previous three tracks, prevailing through the effects and continuing through into Song Four, sitting fifth in the track listings.

Song Four stands out against the other tracks, filled with more emotion and complexity, perhaps eluding to a more serious side to The Shadow Committee which has yet to be seen. Filled with a moving string melody Song Four gives way to a piano interlude that sits well alongside the previous track and even makes room a gentle synth line.

Sunshine Paradise closes with a reprise of the title track, adding more aggression to its earlier rendition, however the transition between soothing strings and distorted guitar conflicts with the tranquillity that Song Four creates.

Closing on an almost humorous note, Sunshine Paradise fades into the waves with Seaside, a nod the a band's roots.

The EP allows The Shadow Committee to display varying sounds from their repertoire, giving them the opportunity to explore new influences as well as reminiscing of their earlier form Unsteady Oversteer. - The Future Freaks Me

[The EP] features six original tracks, as well as a reprise of Sunshine Paradise. The record kicks off to a confident start with Entree, an appropriately named taster track that morphs into The Blackadder Rides Again.

Unlike the post-rock bands that have been of influence, a couple of the tracks, employ synths, and tend to have more of a focus on individual instruments rather than the effect of layering all the sounds collectively. For instance, there are almost piano and guitar ‘solos’ in title song Sunshine Paradise, as well as some pretty interesting laser-quest-esque shooting noises going on.

Does this work as an advantage? I’m not entirely sure. I think you can tell that, unlike the troop of musicians that go into making each 65dos track, it is a smaller affair, and sometimes lacks the power and drive that could really get your eardrums beating. But, some of the quieter moments are handled really nicely, and it is trying to do something different – which is more than can be said than for a lot of acts out there at the moment. - Beat The Static