The Sunshine Factory

The Sunshine Factory exists on a foundation of juxtapositions. Here are a group of kids from the Gulf Coast channeling the spirits of late ’80s/early ’90s Thames Valley subversion – two decidedly disparate environments. Band founder Ian Taylor, assembling the lineup in 2008 with drummer Mathew Hendrich and vocalist/bassist Sally Robertson, sought inspiration from highly un-punk sources – namely the engrossing chant music Taylor enjoyed with his Eastern Orthodox upbringing. Cutting his teeth and immersing himself in the punk and metal scene, as teenage boys are wont do to, Taylor discovered My Bloody Valentine and Swans – and the rest is history.

While true to the canon of shoegaze and dream pop, The Sunshine Factory reinvigorates the genres with good ole fashioned DIY punk and mellotron-heavy elements of the paisley underground – two scenes historically at odds with each other. In doing so, The Sunshine Factory makes old music sound new again, continuing their serendipitous journey of juxtaposition. Resplendent with whammified sonic assaults, fuzz thick enough to drive a truck through, light electronic flourishes, and classic psychedelic instrumentation, The Sunshine Factory’s latest release, Sugar, showcases a focused and talented band that belongs in the same conversation as A Place To Bury Strangers, Black Angels and Bear In Heaven.