Matt Roller – Sunshine (2025)
A one-man band from composition and performance to production and PR, singer-songwriter Matt Roller is a rolling punk-tinged force ready to take on anyone in his path. I don’t mean challenge audiences, more enchant them with his powerful melodies; however, if I think about it, he retains the punk ideology of challenging norms, society, and all that other stuff. So, without further ado, let me introduce you to the US-based mayhem that is Matt Roller, with his single ‘Sunshine’.
Shifting from his grittier 2024 album, Basement Songs, the 2025 full-length The Light Between appears more sophisticated, refined and honed within its DIY production. Still clinging to old-school punk sensibilities, the track ‘Sunshine’ leans further toward vintage pop-punk sounds ala Sum 41 and The Offspring. Hard-hitting and heavy with powerful bass, crashing drums and scorching guitars, the melody whips past your head at breakneck speed. Yet, as much as there is a chaotic frenzy in ‘Sunshine’, a harmonic string lingers throughout the single.
‘Sunshine’ is a kaleidoscopic burst of insanity locked in a bubble of sound, and it’s a trip from beginning to end. For me, one of the more interesting aspects – other than the somewhat separation of Roller’s vocals and the melody – is the ending. I’m not saying it’s a breath of relief for the track to close. Actually, I’m quite disappointed it is so short. The intriguing bit is how a swift movement from pop-punk to heavier hard rock exists as weighty drums round everything off.
Melodically, ‘Sunshine’ is playing out of intricate pop-punk sounds, but it is far more than meets the urgent pop-punk surface. Matt Roller explains:
“My… full-length, The Light Between, focuses mostly on a few themes: my personal struggles with depression and addiction and perseverance, as well as touching on current political uncertainty. The single ‘Sunshine’ is about self-reflection and letting ourselves be consumed by negative thoughts and bad experiences.”
In addition to the single, Matt Roller released an official lyric video for ‘Sunshine’. You can view the video below or on his YouTube channel. Please note that this video uses lighting effects that can trigger seizures in people with photosensitive epilepsy. Viewer discretion is advised.
VIEWER DISCRETION IS ADVISED
Find out more about Matt Roller on his Facebook, Instagram and Spotify.
This artist was discovered via Musosoup #sustainablecurator
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