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Ecstatic Sunshine Freckle Wars

About

Two guitars, two humans, every riff in the world. May we introduce the treble warrior spazzos from Baltimore otherwise known as Ecstatic Sunshine. The playful and whimsical electric guitar duo of Matthew Papich and Dustin Wong are like a punk-lite version of John Fahey, Mick Barr (Orthrelm, Octis, et.al.), Greg Ginn, and Bruce Springsteen. In other words they can shred, rip, AND roll.

Having plenty of time and freedom to perfect their sound and performance while hanging out in art school and throwing parties in Baltimore’s cheap industrial lofts, Ecstatic Sunshine are now ready to take their frenetic live show to kids all over the world. They will not rest until they change your life.

Artist Bio

Despite polarized histories (Matt Papich played in various noise and grindcore bands in Lancaster, PA, while Dustin Wong became was  involved in a performance-based cell phone called “japanese” in Tokyo), the sounds and melodies that the duo of Ecstatic Sunshine create congeal to become a single (magical) force.

In 2004, after meeting in the conceptual artwork’s department at art school in Baltimore, Papich and Wong began to focus on composing deceptively intricate guitar battles for a new kind of imagination. Their thesis being—in part—that there are things to be done with sound besides just experience feelings all the time.

Witnesses to their frenetic live shows will attest that no recording has truly documented the intensity or peculiarity of this band. It is often said that seeing Ecstatic Sunshine perform is more like listening to a series of stories being told, than watching a band play a set of “songs.” Yet, such dreaminess is by no means entirely descriptive of their performance, which owes as much to Black Flag as John Fahey.

Some might think of Ecstatic Sunshine’s unique force as a kind of elementary arithmetic: cerebral and of course challenging, but also full of whimsy, exuberance, and curiosity.

Their sound has certainly been influenced by their surroundings – from Baltimore’s warehouse party scene and its youthful, sometimes naïve positivity, to Dustin’s time spent in Oakland, CA rummaging through infinite stacks of records, and Matt’s passion for deep sea fishing in the Atlantic are all somewhere in the cosmic mix….

ES has shared the stage with: Earth, Octis, Aloha, Dirty Projectors, Ex Models, Matt & Kim, Santa Dads…etc.

ES has toured with: Make/Believe, Dan Deacon, Videohippos, The Death Set….


Tracklist

1. Ramontana

2. Beetle

3. Tuscan

4. Freckle Wars

5. Wave Chop

6. Pocket Knife

7. Perrier

8. Golden Rule

9. Swirling Hearts

10. Goose

11. Power Ring

12. Little Dipper Big Dipper