I’ve got a bone to pick with whoever schedules summer releases. I know summer technically extends most of the way through September, but why on earth wouldn’t you drop a song called “Sunburst” at the beginning of the season when listeners can get the most out of it? To be fair, Sunburst has been available as an audio track for a few weeks, but its music video is just now being unveiled at the tail end of August.
A couple of years ago, RIIZE was early to the summer season with the similarly-sounding Impossible. Sunburst definitely comes across as a less-great version of that song, but I’ll take a less-great version of a mega-banger over an adequate version of a “meh” track any day. Sunburst acts as a more subdued take on Impossible‘s high-energy house production. Its chorus is a bit more hollow, but preceded by an excellent pre-chorus that takes advantage of the group’s always-impressive vocals.
Like so many dance tracks before it, Sunburst trades momentum for an “aren’t we cool?” beat switch during its second verse. This doesn’t bother me too much since the segment is well-developed and lengthy. I especially enjoy how the pre-chorus gains the heft and placement of a proper chorus during its first repetition, blurring the structural lines of the track. And at over three minutes, Sunburst has plenty of time to play around. It’s both laidback and exciting… just like a satisfying summer’s day.
Hooks
8
Production
9
Longevity
9
Bias
8
RATING
8.5