On New Year's day, Ed Bidgood posted, "New year, new music, new project... [I'm] happy to share the first track from my new ambient side project Sundreamer." Now three weeks later, today marks the release of the remaining four tracks as part of the project's first EP, Unwind Tape. After speaking with me previously, he was kind enough to do it again ahead of this debut release. We kicked off our discussion with a reflection on last year.
"2020 was a really surreal year and I think it’s tested everyone in different ways," Ed began. "I took the extra time I had to focus more energy than ever into my music, which came with its positives and negatives."
And he isn't kidding. After releasing Endless Cascades in August last year, Ed has released six singles. Half were collaborations, which Ed says "has been fun during lockdown. It's allowed me to feel connected to other artists while pushing my sonic boundaries a little bit further and explore new ideas."
"Unfortunately, the negative side was developing tinnitus, which has caused me a lot of stress at points throughout the year," Ed continued. "I think the arrival of my tinnitus influenced the Sundreamer tracks directly, as I needed to work on some much softer music. I initially didn’t think much about releasing them, it was more of just a creative outpouring of simple ideas for fun, mostly based less around my computer and production and more about playing guitar or piano."
In fact, this simplicity is central to Sundreamer. Ed explains, "This is a project which I’m allowing myself to take the ‘less is more’ approach more literally. I love exploring more complex arrangements, sound design and upbeat ideas with edapollo. With Sundreamer I want to keep things more stripped back, ambient and minimal. Listeners will hear edapollo in Sundreamer and vice versa, but for me this new project just felt right for some of the creations I’ve been making."
Even with Ed's lack of intentions, the tracks eventually stood on their own, though. "I reached a point where I had a collection of these tracks that didn’t quite fit with the more full bodied production vibe of edapollo and, after showing them to friends, they convinced me I should release them anyway, so I decided it felt right to do it under a different name. I actually have another whole Sundreamer EP almost done too as these tracks were finished over 6 months ago!"
When asked about artistic influences, Ed brought up a wide range of acts, saying, "Bibio is a big influence on the sound. I love the warped guitars and delicate field recordings he uses, which are techniques I’ve explored in Sundreamer. ‘Hello, goodbye’ is inspired by artists like Nils Frahm and Ólafur Arnalds. Other influences include my love for guitar music. You’ll probably hear hints of post-rock artists like Explosions in the Sky and perhaps a touch of Khruangbin."
Boards of Canada
Oddly enough, one of the best showcases for Bibio's sound is Boards of Canada's "Chromakey Dreamcoat."
After Stephen Wilkinson released Bibio's 2004 Fi, Boards officially cited it as a "discovery" and influence for their next record, The Campfire Headphase. On this track, you are treated to a delightful presentation of everything Ed mentioned.
Jamison Isaak of Teen Daze
As for what Ed's been listening to over the past year, it's more Teebs! However, unlike last interview, this time he also mentioned Khruangbin, Teen Daze, and Washed Out.
Teen Daze is a bedroom chillwave producer and has experimented with lots of sounds and styles since his 2010 Four More Years. Isaak produces his music in British Columbia, where he, like Ed, finds a lot of inspiration in the nature around him. "Spin Around, Go Ahead" is playfully dancy while positioning snowboarding instructions in the song's center.
Washed Out's Ernest Greene Live on KEXP
Washed Out "launched" chillwave in 2009 with his Life of Leisure but hasn't slowed down a bit. Recently Greene released his most sensual work yet, and its opening track makes for a great introduction. Even if you're familiar with the famous "Feel It All Around," you'll be glad to be brought back to the layered synths and hypnotic rhythms of "Too Late."
Unwind Tape Album Cover
Last, but certainly not least, we have something from Sundreamer!
The album begins with "fairfield boathouse," a track that sounds straight out of Tycho's Past Is Prologue in the best possible way. In it, you taste just about every element you'll hear later on the record: elegant guitar, affectionate keys, soft-as-a-cloud percussion, and field recordings. Complete with Ed's uncompromising production and you have a perfectly clean, yet invitingly vintage sound. In a word, the track is pure ease.
From there, we're treated to tracks that meander from the cyclically relaxing guitar of "rainy day loop" to the peacefully uplifting "bright mornings." I can't think of a better way to begin 2021 than with the twelve minute delight that is Unwind Tape.