Walking down a steep staircase hidden behind the only uninteresting door in the eclectic Troubadour, I was transported into another dimension. A cosy yet bustling venue, with low lighting and staff that treats you like you’re an old friend – I instantly felt like I had been invited to a music night in someone’s basement, but also as if I was experiencing something exclusive and curated. This welcoming atmosphere was perfectly matched by the show’s headliners Sunset Habits, who performed their original unreleased material with a few covers sprinkled in the setlist.
Sunset Habits’s music is a mix of indie pop and rock infused with influences coming from different genres, especially funk.
All the band members are vocalists, which gives their songs a varied range without interfering with the band’s cohesive sonic identity: songs that feature Benno on vocals tend to have strong indie rock influences and a straighter rhythm, whereas Jason’s warm tone suits more funk-adjacent songs with melodic hooks, and Margarida has a unique tone that you don’t hear a lot in contemporary music, which combined with the band’s more modern musical influences creates a refreshing and captivating sound.
Their songwriting clearly comes from a place of passion for music and great artistic chemistry between the band members.
Both the lyrics and arrangement of their songs encapsulate the feeling of youth, evoking feelings of happy nostalgia – the kind that leaves you feeling hopeful in the end. Their music would work perfectly as the soundtrack of a summer coming-of-age movie, and the fact that the songs they performed have not been released yet made the gig feel even more special. A personal favourite was their opening song, Wave, which set the tone for the rest of the night.
Alongside their original material, they performed a couple of covers that blended effortlessly with their sound – a highlight was their cover of Chico by Luísa Sonza, which perfectly complimented Margarida’s voice.
What truly stood out was the chemistry between the band members and their obvious passion for what they do. There was no invisible barrier between the band and the audience: they welcomed us into their world and let us hang out there, as if we were friends witnessing a rehearsal, hanging out in their garage and chatting in between songs.
Sunset Habits have a few gigs coming up: they will be performing on the 15th, 27th and 29th of September, respectively at Katzspace, The Gunners, and Bucks Head.
If you are looking for some feel-good indie pop, I recommend following them on Instagram (@sunsethabits) to keep up to date with their gigs and upcoming releases!