SHUN x Monty Wells – Chasing Stars
“Beautiful transitions from the chorus to the verse, which throughout the track will not let you rest, so they are so emotional. Nostalgic waves Pop Rock from -shun and Monty Wells-, which leaves no one indifferent!” (Automatically Translated with Google Translate)
“Прекрасные переходы от припева до куплета, которые на протяжении всего трека не дадут вам передохнуть, настолько они эмоциональны исполнены. Ностальгические волны Pop Rock от -SHUN и Monty Wells-, который не оставляет никого равнодушным!”
-Nagamag.com
The first steps into this future-retro pop-rock/rnb-song started with compiling background melodies from 80s Finnish rock influenced by some Central and South American tunes. From there, the song began to mold into its form with an intentionally contemporary production blended with 80s to early 90s elements.
After getting the track ready for vocals, the songwriting continued in the Netherlands by a talented topliner, Monty Wells. He created his characteristic and catchy “The Weeknd/Michael Jackson”-style lead vocals and lyrics. The final vocal arrangement was finished in Finland at Soulhouse Unit studio.
To us, the storyline follows a theme of warning about the dangers of getting lost or selling your soul in show business. Still, on the other hand, it gives confidence that taking the longer and a bit harder route often can pay off better—many first-alluring things can turn out to be just one big illusion. The song’s lighter side is simply having fun and taking chances: “chasing stars on boulevards” with friends.
Chasing Stars contains many secret “easter eggs” as tributes to the famous artists and their music styles that influenced SHUN’s music-making over the years (Billy Ocean, Lionel Richie/The Commodores, Lenny Kravitz, Michael Jackson, Timbaland, Phil Collins, among others). There is even a tiny part where the drum style was momentarily drawn from the early 2000s UK/garage (which maybe nobody notices =D). And finally, as the style was meant to be 2022 future-retro, some contemporary electro/pop production methods were included in the final fusion.
This SHUN song was mixed primarily with vintage gear this time, the main console being a uniquely modified Soundcraft SAC2000 analog radio station console (special thanks to a great Ukrainian-Finnish musician, Andre Solomko).
The mastering was done by Stuart Hawkes at Metropolis Studios, London.
Chasing Stars is a pop/rock/rnb- retro-contemporary-fusion with many elements and sides brought together!
Reviewed by Nagamag on August 7, 2022