China Bears - “Sunday"

SXSW 2020 - OEB Score: 8; Popularity Index: 2

Pairs Well With…The National, My Morning Jacket, Interpol

China Bears’ form of indie rock balances moody soundscapes, alt country pastures, and building dynamics into a cohesive, serious sound across their 2019 debut EP I’ve Never Met Anyone Like You. The London-based quartet are able to pull off arena-rock grandeur (“Stay For Good”, “Cold Shivers”) without bursting, an approach that is noticeably honed with detailed precision. This pays off without ostentatiousness, allowing China Bears to open up in their more patient tracks like “Trick Myself” and emotive budder “Sunday”. It’s big but controlled, composed more with the mindset of a post-rock sound painter than a traditional pop songwriter. New wave guitars shimmer against reverb-soaked synth lines, creating constant cohesion rather than purely instruments playing together. I’ve Never Met Anyone Like You is impressive and well-rounded, an excellent start for a band going for a sound much broader than a string of introductory singles. (Kevin McStravick)