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Apr 28, 2021 By Caleb Campbell Photography by Angela Romano

Following their 2017 debut EP Slippery Slope, San Francisco band Sunset Lines took a brief hiatus, honing their sound and style into a sharp synth pop machine. Vocalist Liz Brooks took to writing new material while producer and synth Paul McCorkle developed a style that is even more reminiscent of ‘80s favorites like Tears for Fears and New Order as well as recent revivalists like MGMT.

With new members Ben Manning (drums) and Scott Smit (bass) in tow, the band took the unexpected hits of the pandemic in stride, pivoting to finishing their sophomore EP Home Anywhere remotely. At long last they returned with new material last month’s “Unresponsive” and now the band is back, sharing their newest single, “Season of the Witch,” premiering with Under the Radar.

Though “Unresponsive” brilliantly showed the synth pop revival style of Home Anywhere, “Season of The Witch” takes a more meditative path, instead using glittering synth textures to provide color and presence to a spacious piano ballad. Matching brooding verses with a gorgeous shimmering chorus, the track runs through lush instrumental passages and haunting lyricism. Brooks delivers hints of ‘80s glitter with her vocal performance, all while paying tribute to classic horror tropes and hinting towards underlying narratives of abuse and escapism— “I had the strangest dream/Things were not as they seem/I could still fly though you plucked away my wings.”

Brooks says of the track, “One of the themes of “Home Anywhere” was developing lyrics that sound like they are telling one obvious story but elude to another, more obscure narrative. Season of the Witch was the first song I wrote for this EP that invoked that concept.”

“I’m a huge fan of classic and modern horror movies, which strongly influenced the narrative theme of SOTW. Specifically, the song pays homage to works like Rosemary’s Baby and The Haunting of Hill House, while at the same time recognizing the narrative of the “Final Girl.” This also got me thinking about how akin this storyline is to that of a controlling or abusive relationship - drawing upon my own experiences and those so many have gone through - a haunting experience of its own. This song resonates with me in a deeply personal way based on those experiences.”

Check out the song below and watch for Home Anywhere, coming May 14th.