ECSTATIC SUNSHINE
LIVING:
“POSITIVE ENO WORLD + PURE TRUST BRANCA CLOUD.”
ECSTATIC SUNSHINE began as a way for founding
members MATTHEW PAPICH and DUSTIN WONG to interweave 60’s minimalism
with 80’s punk. Formed in Baltimore in the spring of 2005 (just before
the avalanche of press began sweating the art-damaged scene that was
thriving around them), the two guitarists combined seemingly
incompatible ideas tightly to make a new, unrecognizable force.
ECSTATIC began touring extensively as a treble heavy, ear splitting
symmetrical thrash band. In that summer, they recorded their acclaimed
debut for Carpark Records, FRECKLE WARS - a 30-minute album full of
purist, whimsical bursts.
Since then, ECSTATIC has been on a quickly
changing trajectory, leaving audiences equally confused and enthralled,
which is captured in the release LIVING, a vinyl-only EP on Wildfire
Wildfire (with a cd version included within). The EP documents
ECSTATIC’s transition away from their brief and snappy roots towards a
more noisy and blissful take on the tonal walls of Glenn Branca and
Rhys Chatham. Despite such academic influences, LIVING is has been
noted for its swirling energy and overwhelming volume and tone, which
has always been key in the heavy joy of their live performance—ECSTATIC
SUNSHINE is still a punk band at heart.
ES at the time of LIVING is DUSTIN WONG and MATTHEW PAPICH.
FRIENDSHIP / TRIP 02:
The second split release in our Friendship-Trip series hosts LUCKY DRAGONS and ECSTATIC SUNSHINE.
We’ve handsomely packaged this limited edition
of 500 70 gram 7"s in reverse matte sleeves which are lightly embossed
by the pros at Verlag Gottlund. Super super heavy vinyl. The songs are
sweet and bouncy, just like we all like them.
The Friendship-Trip series is an ongoing
project to release diverse music from across the world made by friends
who share similar ideas about the future and seek similar ways to
communicate those ideas.
ES at the time of Friendship / Trip 02 is Matthew Papich.
ECSTATIC SUNSHINE has also released full-length albums on CARPARK
RECORDS and CARDBOARD RECORDS. The band has toured the US several
times. Full tour partners include Dan Deacon, Make Believe, Dirty
Projectors, White Williams and more.