‘September Sun’ delicately evokes the feeling of a late summer afternoon, where the world feels suspended in time. From its stripped-back opening, with the vocal melody solely accompanied by piano, the song slowly builds, incorporating new elements - acoustic guitar, drums, bass, multiple-part harmonies - until it reaches a shimmering climax.
The dreamy, nostalgic tone of the music is matched by the lyrics, which recall memories of a perfect summer day; “it’s Tuesday morning / When we find the grapes have ripened on the vine / We pick a bunch for after lunch / Stretch our legs and kill the time”. Further, the lyrics evoke out-of-body experiences; there’s a curious allusion to ‘Creep’ by Radiohead in the line “I float like a feather / When you sing that sweet melody”. Elsewhere in the song, Whitmoor describe “feeling weightless / Flying, lying naked by the pool”. The music, too, has this weightless feeling, thanks to the piano and the stunning vocal harmonies, which soar above the guitar, bass, and drums.
Those harmonies take the song to the next level, particularly when they circle each other during the call-and-response-style bridge. And when those multiple voices finally collide during the song’s climax, as the drums crash in, it feels like the September sun is shining down.
Mia Tobin Power
Image: ‘September Sun’ Official EP Cover
If you enjoyed reading this article, please consider buying us a coffee. The money from this pot goes towards the ever-increasing yearly costs of running and hosting the site, and our “Writer Of The Month” cash prize.