There are many cold and unpleasant connotations of winter that we use to define the season—dim or wet weather, routine and dull days, a time of waiting for the year to fully begin. However, our climate—regardless of its humidity or temperature, whether a blessing or a burden—remains a constant source of renewal.
Make Way for the Sun is a meditative, sonically scintillating exploration of evolution and progression, guided by the persistent miracle of nature’s spiritual effects.
Recorded in rural isolation by the neo-psychedelic dream-soul duo O & The Mo—comprising Alvin Bartley and Olive Gallagher alongside a five-piece band—the album was created in "a small hut tucked away in the serene Wakapuaka Valley," north of Nelson, New Zealand.
Shrilling plant sounds, washing synths and gently grooving guitars create an involved, endearing to their world on "Intro," immediately creating a harmonic bond between acoustic instrumentation and post-produced enhancements leading to a blissfully conjoined segue into "The High," which takes their sun-kissing guitars and eminent, shrubbing drums into a western country stride. "Our pretty hearts, why do they let us down?"
Gallagher reflects over a playful blend of twangy rhythms and subtly wavering keys, leading us into a blissful chorus as she recites, "Time will heal a broken heart, but you'll return to the high," in a rich, raspy tone. Embracing the theme of the moon yielding its place in the sky, she paves the way for a brighter future ushered in by the sun.
Greek mythology is woven into their signature blend of swooning, dubbed-out grooves, and laid-back, kaleidoscopic production with "Icarus," in which Gallagher recounts the tale of Icarus flying too close to the sun.
Rather than framing it as a cautionary story of failed ambition, Gallagher sings of the thrill of his adventure. The track blends Desert-Americana melancholia with a penchant for Chamber Rock structures while skittering percussion and rich backing harmonies deepen the narrative.
The title track launches the noticeably shaded second third of the warm, effervescent album. "I lose control, spinning and swimming in the dark," she sings over a neat and melodic arrangement of hypnotic, layered guitars and synth flourishes that guide the soundscape through brief detours, creating new points of gauzy interest as we prepare to dive into "Big Noise," the following track.
The most politically driven recording on the album, "Big Noise" sees Gallagher reflecting on the anxiety stirred by current affairs—often consumed through a screen resting on our laps—which distracts us from appreciating the organic environments that can still surprise us. A tidal wave of synths and pattering drums delivers an emphatic introduction before she observes, "Blank space is impossible to find, in most places," encouraging listeners to pay closer attention to how the weather refreshes the cycles of nature around us.
This theme continues in the next interlude, "Rodrigo Goes Walking," which features an audio recording of reporters discussing vast hillsides that blanket our rural landscapes. This varied, surprising sample evokes a similar effect to "Little Fluffy Clouds" by The Orb, using electronic elements to heighten the impact of a nature-centric concept. The warmth of the ensuing soundscape is palpable, while its drowsy, gently nocturnal tone signals a shift ahead of the album’s final third.
The stars in the sky, and how they have assisted humankind in navigation over the centuries, is the potent theme of "I Don't Know."
"A thousand years have led us here," Gallagher croons. "The world has gone crazy, so let's just take it slow," she continues, as a bountifully tinny lead guitar melody pivots toward a reverberant, cinematic dream-pop turn.
Variety is continually added to the guitar-based instrumentation of the album on the latest single, "All My Love," which follows. A reliance on the comforting aura of climate fills Gallagher with optimism for a fruitful year as she yearns, "It takes a star to burn through all of the superficial," to the tune of sparkling guitar chords and glistening yet sparse percussion, which eventually develops into a driving, Chic-like bassline.
"But I Do" closes the record on a spiritual, indulgently soothing note.
Intimate lyrics like "All the clouds that I hold on to, I think of them when I'm alone sometimes, because the world is always on the move" reinforce her desire to let nature take its course in her personal life, running parallel to the unsettled cycles of nature that we coexist within. Piano melodies complement her forthright reflections, lucidly gliding between spacious percussion and vivid, rich guitar chords.
Gallagher's interplay between raspy, muscular vocal intonations and the multi-prismatic functions of the lead guitar ensure that "Make Way For The Sun" flows beautifully. Striding basslines, subtle synth-disco flourishes, and neo-psychedelic warmth create consistent variation in the grooves, allowing the duo to dip their toes into genres like neo-folk, dub-funk, and cinematic alt-folk in the soulful moods they create, reminiscent of Khruangbin in terms of their versatile dynamic.
An opportune space for more personal anecdotes within their lyricism is left open for future releases, but the irresistible sonic warmth allows the otherwise limited instrumentation and straightforward songwriting concepts to add plenty of variety on the fly, making the album feel broader and richer as a result.
A detailed, stark reminder of the harmonic coexistence between humanity and climate, reconsidering the mediocre perceptions of mid-winter.
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