Ambiance

Shines is a trip. There’s not much getting around that notion. Shines’ self-titled EP brings the right amount of funk and bass to what could be rather boring trance-y, ambient soundscapes. Each song on the five-song EP takes the listener into different realms, each distinct and unique from the previous. The vocals fade in and out in fragments; beats are both rhythmic and random. The depth of each one of these tracks makes you feel like you’re going to start seeing shit.

The vagueness of the titles of the tracks fit each song perfectly. There is so much room for the imagination to wander with Shines’ latest creation. There is a path that the listener can choose to follow, in which they would be completely satisfied with their journey, but there is also another path, one in which the listener allows the music to be the backdrop for all those incredible things that the mind is capable of. What separates Shines from ambient electronic music of yore is that they provide almost dance-y kick drums that make this trip less about staring at the wall and more about getting on your feet and doing something.

Shines is best experienced, rather than listened to. That experience can happen anywhere: a botanical garden, your parents’ basement, a rooftop party or at the office. What is important is that you allow the vibe to take you to those places that exist beyond your consciousness.