The Ballroom Thieves have grown and evolved as artists with four albums under their belt, and with the indie-folk duo’s fifth album which dropped today April 12th, they continue to explore humankind’s capacity for growth and change.
Sundust is a hazy, dreamy, and tender representation of self-awareness and awakening. The opening track, “Everything is Everything,” kicks things off with Calin Peters’ raw and light vocals, accompanied by a leisurely, calming beat.
Her voice dances and plays as she sings the hard-hitting chorus, joined by partner in crime Martin Earley: “Gimme a heart without the teeth / Gimme the glimmers in between / Gimme the happiness of old / Gimme a love without the rope / Gimme the loveliness I need / Gimme the me inside of me / It’s a bittersweet awakening / That everything is everything.”
The duo cites their recent embracing of mental health as a central point of Sundust. In a busy world where there never seems to be a moment of quiet and true aloneness, the album has a gentle and simple feel that captures the beauty of looking within.
The duo’s January single, “Right on Time,” houses this feeling, with Earley’s vocals taking center stage, accompanied by a buzzing organ. He showcases his warm voice and full range of vocal sound, reflecting how isolating and confusing the mental health journey can be: “Where did it go / I wanna know / Tell me the truth / Where did it go / I wanna know,” he croons.
The fourth track and February single, “Tender,” aptly named as it opens with a waterfall of guitar, the duo’s voices breaking through with the simplistic yet poignant lyrics, “Seven crows and a dying tree / Woke me up at dawn / Like a black Cadillac with the windows down / Already gone.” Nature blends with humanity in words joined by a tender sound of past memories. Earley and Peters’ vocals join to create a beautiful sound of defeat and softness.
Their final single leading up to the album, “Casual,” places emphasis on Peters’ angelic, ethereal vocalizations, giving her voice center stage at the start of the track. “Let this be a lesson / Let this be the last time I run,” she sings, a sentiment many can relate to as part of their human experience. Cello deepens the track’s sound, adding a mournful yet healing edge, eventually joined by a gentle ticking sound that ebbs away.
Each track on Sundust, though similar in overall sound, conveys a different aspect of self-awakening, glimpsing into the emotions one endures when looking into their past, seeking love despite imperfections, and making peace with hard truths.
The album wraps up with “I Don’t Mind,” ending the album on a hopeful note with its steady, thumping beat, adding an element of stability joined by an uplifting guitar melody. “I Don’t Mind” is a song of human desperation and uncertainty, neatly conveying human wistfulness and brief moments of panic with the sudden, bursting chorus.
“I will remain in this for only through the ones I love / I will be in your every breath / Or maybe not / What if I’m not / What if the only time we have is now,” the duo expresses, putting a light of beauty on a vulnerable human state. The duo takes a similarly tender and nostalgic approach when conveying their art visually; “Everything is Everything,” “Right on Time,” Tender,” and “Casual,” each have their own music video featuring the duo, each video playing with emphasis on the artist to explore the song’s emotions.
Recorded at a makeshift studio in the duo’s home of Maine, Sundust and its sounds, lyrics, and visuals conveys the beautiful isolated feeling that comes with being a human, and the longing for acceptance from people who are understanding and healed.
