Fantasy

From the first moment The Sunset Kids sat down together with a keyboard and a guitar, the music clicked. There were no growing pains, no creative struggles — just pure musical chemistry.

The duo’s alchemical electro-pop collaboration began with a humble recording session: Canadian singer-guitarist Josh Palmer runs his own studio, and Russian-born songwriter Ellaya Zampieri stopped by to lay down one of her own tunes. “As soon as Ellaya showed up at my studio and played piano, I was just blown away instantly,” Josh remembers. “I could tell that there was a musical bond. That kind of thing either happens or it doesn’t — it’s like magic.”
Almost immediately, they began working on original material, and the songs poured out of them. Blending the blissful electronic blur of ‘80s dream pop with the giddy rush of modern folk rock, they instinctively developed a unique hybrid sound that overflows with catchy choruses and heart-on-sleeve emotions.

“I was born in Siberia and I grew up listening and singing Slavic folk songs,” Ellaya explains. “So, when we play electronic pop, it still has some folk elements.”

The duo’s debut album is Volcano, a rapturous outpouring of intensely personal lyrics and humble hooks. The 10 tracks range from towering pop anthems (“Ocean Clear,” “Brave”, “I Wanna Be”) to heart-swelling acoustic reveries (“Volcano,” “Atmosphere”) to dreamy, cinematic new wave (“Fantasy,” “Kingdom”).

Each new stylistic direction is tied together by The Sunset Kids self-production, the propulsive rhythms from guest drummer Ali Siadat (Mother Mother), and the duo’s note-perfect duet vocals. “It feels phenomenal when we sing together,” says Ellaya. “I just feel such a synchronicity — that’s the most beautiful part of singing a harmony with someone.”

Their once-in-a-lifetime musical connection shines through whenever Josh and Ellaya sing together. It’s a strange and wonderful twist of fate that brought together a producer from Canada and a songwriter from Siberia, so The Sunset Kids are making the most of every second of it.

the SUNSET KIDS