SunSquabi Is ‘On Fire’ With New EP, Big 2024 Plans

SunSquabi is prepping for a big 2024, including some yet-to-be-announced offerings that have the musicians giddy with excitement.

“We’re more focused than we’ve ever been,” says Kevin Donohue, who plays guitar and keys in the Denver-based trio as well as handling production.

“We’ve just been on a roll in the studio, too,” says bass and synth player Josh Fairman.

They won’t spill the beans about the unannounced plans, but they can talk about releasing what will add up to at least “a couple hours’ worth of music” throughout the year. That includes sharing a new EP, Cloudburst, on Friday, March 8, and several collaborations and stand-alone singles over the next ten months.

“A lot of that stuff was influenced from the pandemic,” Fairman says of the singles. “We spent a lot of time in Hawaii and traveling and getting new experiences. I think a lot of that is getting channeled into this new music.”

Another EP and SunSquabi’s next full-length, a followup to 2022’s Arise, may also see the light of day before New Year’s Eve. “It’s kind of like a renaissance right now, and just tons of creativity, tons of music, tons of collabs,” Fairman shares.

“Tons of clarity, too,” Donohue adds. “We’re talking every day and executing these plans to where we’re able to get our message out the way that we want to get our message out.

“The clarity of what’s going on right now is really a good feeling,” he continues. “I think that’s come from all of the shit that we’ve had to put up with. It’s all the things that we experienced this past year that helped us dive into what we really needed to focus on.”

First up, that means bringing Cloudburst to the masses during a hometown release show at Mission Ballroom on Saturday, March 9. The co-headlining concert with lespecial also includes Big Something and UnderLux.

“It won’t get boring at any point. It’s going to be an epic show,” Fairman says, adding that it also won’t be your typical SunSquabi set, while hinting at special appearances and live guests.

“For people in Colorado, if you’ve ever seen us, you’re going want to come see this show, because we’re on fire, and it’s the future of what’s happening,” he continues. “This is just the beginning. It’s time to check it out, because we’ve got a long way to go.”

The longtime group that has become known for its “hydro funk” – a mashup of electronica and jam – has been at it for nearly a decade at this point, but the renewed enthusiasm surrounding the instrumental outfit’s newfound outlook is refreshing. The musicians sound more like a band preparing for its big debut than a mainstay in the jam scene that’s working toward releasing its fourth studio album, and then some.

“A lot has changed in the band, but we’re entering a totally new chapter of what we’re writing,” says Donohue, who credits his recent sobriety for some of that clarity. “The story is actually just beginning.”

But the biggest difference has been replacing founding drummer Chris Anderson, who decided to step away from his bandmates after starting a family and getting involved with a few startup businesses during the pandemic.

“This industry demands a lot of your time and your soul. He was really trying to find a balance and be happy, so we wanted to help our brother, and all worked through it this past year,” Donohue explains while heaping praise on Anderson and everything he contributed since the band got started in 2015.

“It’s been one of the harder things that we’ve ever had to go through,” he admits. “The end result is [that] the brotherhood of it is more important than anything to us.”

Scott Zwang, who moved to Denver last March, is the new guy behind the kit. But Anderson will still be making live appearances here and there, including at the upcoming show at the Mission. The addition of Zwang, who previously played in Massachusetts progressive jam band Dopapod, has further amped up SunSquabi’s creative process. The three admit to experimenting with new sounds and genres, particularly on the most recent output.

“From the outside looking in, bass stuff seems to be coming up a lot more than it has in the past, which is exciting for me,” Zwang says. “We feel like we hit the nail on the head, if you will, but not necessarily what the meanings behind the songs are. It’s just the creative intent is there.”

As Donohue sees it, SunSquabi’s main goal, one that he believes the trio is reaching, is to “set the listener free.”

“We feel like we’re playing music for the right reasons right now. That’s a cool feeling,” he adds.

“Being able to channel music so clearly, the listener can interpret the message themselves. That’s what I think we’re really able to achieve right now,” Donohue concludes. “Instead of molding our vision to what we think it is, we’re just letting go and letting it happen. It’s truly the listener that determines what it is.”

SunSquabi, 6:30 p.m. Saturday, March 9, Mission Ballroom, 4242 Wynkoop Street. Tickets are $29.95-$35