The Dust Bowl is a concept EP of sorts, drawing inspiration from the Great Depression in the American Midwest as a commentary on today's musical climate. With a general redistribution of wealth away from artists and toward giant tech companies, underground music could conceivably be facing a ‘dust bowl' scenario of its own.
As Sumsuch puts it: "So many DJs and producers are ploughing the same dry furrows of social media, fake success and delusional hopes, whilst the reality is a barren landscape, plundered of all nutrients and substance. Those of us who've always lived here know how to survive, but it's a tough environment."
Brooding opening track ‘Dust Bowl Dreams' could not embody the concept more fully, dominated by swirling, whooshing synth atmospheres and eerie chord fragments. Sumsuch took the decision to perform the filter sweeps and arrangement live in order to add even more tension and grit. ‘Guiding Light' offers a beacon of hope, an escape from the desolation of The Dust Bowl. Warm bass and haunting piano chords make this Deep House gem feel comforting and familiar. "Could you be my guiding light?" ask Sumsuch's heavily effected lyrics. Following is the only way to be sure.