Portland, Oregon-based singer-songwriter and producer Nick Arneson reveals his brand-new full-length album, Sunshine Guaranteed.
Talking about his creative process, Nick doesn’t spout the typical bright and breezy drivel, sharing, “You’re 42 and you’ve never lived alone? This should be fun. Your best work will come out of you at the tail end of a desperate late-night panic attack where everything feels like it’s caving in around you and suddenly like a light in the distance a new song will vomit up from some unknown depth and scratch the maniacal itch that you didn’t know was there until it was soothed.”
Following on the heels of his 2019 album, Restless, Sunshine Guaranteed was written after going through the ambiguity of 2020, as well as the emotional turmoil of divorce. Working with producer and designer Jon Guisbert, the two collaborated on every aspect of the album, including the concept, artwork, creative direction, and production.
Nick’s indie music, which he describes as “fucking vulnerable,” mirrors profound sensations that, in the end, sustain the idea of everything ultimately working out okay, in spite of life’s trials and tribulations. In other words, eventually, sunshine is guaranteed.
Embracing 10-tracks, entry points include the title track, opening on a deep, thrumming bassline topped by Nick’s evocative tones, imbuing the lyrics with heartfelt meaning. The feel and flow of the song exude hints of indie-rock melded with psychedelic-lite aromas.
The lonely melancholy of “Holding On” evokes sensations of regret and nostalgia riding platinum guitars. While “Naturally” travels on edgy coloration, at once dark and urgent. Raw and susceptible, Nick’s vocals inject the lyrics with precarious savors.
“Find a Way” rolls out on dark electro-pop textures, pulsing like a beating heart. There’s an elegiac essence to Nick’s timbres as he searches for answers. Pervaded by bluesy hues, “Melt the Night Away” projects coagulated emotions rife with aching yearning.
The final track, “Boredom,” surges on a thick, muscular rhythm, rumbling with shadowy presence. Rasping and doleful, Nick’s voice infuses the lyrics with portentous timbres. Vaguely reminiscent of Peter Gabriel, “Boredom” pushes out black, spellbinding energy.
With Sunshine Guaranteed, Nick Arneson delivers a grand, compelling blend of bewitching indie music, brimming with intense perceptive passion.
Follow Nick Arneson Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | Spotify