Raw and impassioned, BURS’ debut EP ‘Through Windows’ is a feverish, throttling introduction full of feeling and intent, driven by an inner need for outer expression that manifests through a defiant spectrum of folk and rock-influenced dream pop.
Stream: ‘Through Windows’ – BURS
‘Certain’ is about the mysteries of the human experience and learning to find contentment in the smallest details of our individuality.
Ontario’s BURS introduce us to an immersive world of sound and color on their debut EP, but perhaps even more importantly, their first three songs begin a string of deep, meaningful conversations. “I am the book and I’m also the author. I’ll write myself up as I go,” sings lead vocalist and guitarist Lauren Dillen on “Certain,” going on later to declare, “My whole existence is an act of defiance.” Raw and impassioned, BURS’ debut EP Through Windows is a feverish, throttling introduction full of feeling and intent, driven by an inner need for outer expression that manifests through a defiant spectrum of folk and rock-influenced dream pop.
When I say good morning I am really saying good eve
Cause I know it’s gonna happen regardless of you and me
When I lock the door I am really leaving it open
Knowing that it’s just about as reckless as hiding a key
Is it wrong of me to say that I know you even though we just met
I’m a firm believer in whatever will become of this
Is it wrong of me to say no to the bitter evangelist
It hasn’t done me any wrong just yet
I’m an eventualist
If it was gonna happen to me it might as well happen to me
Whether it be the ripening of youth or a blunt adversity
I wouldn’t know a damn about the truth if it landed upon my knee
If it was going to happen to me it was going to happen to me
– “Eventualist,” BURS
Poetic, eloquent, elevating and deprecating, Through Windows is quite the intense fourteen-minute journey; and yet, it’s soothing at the same time. BURS balance their weighted subject matter with heavy, commanding sounds and emotionally stirring melodies, keeping listeners afloat despite each song’s inevitable desire to plunge us down into the core of our very souls.
Waxing philosophical seems to come second nature to this Canadian four-piece, whose instrumental debut single “3” lacked any words yet nonetheless set our hearts and minds down nuanced introspective paths. Composed of Lauren Dillen (vocals, guitar), Ray Goudy (vocals, guitar), Devon Savas (bass, keys, FX), and Oliver Compton (drums, percussion, samples), BURS self-describe as “psych folk” and make music that draws “a circle around emotive lyricism, traditional folk influences, alt rock energies, atmospheric layers and modern sonic techniques,” per the band’s team. Released on June 26, Through Windows brings that mission to life through three majestic tracks, each of which feels like another distinct puzzle piece: The savage “Eventualist,” the haunting “Certain,” and the perseverant “Naturing.”
Fans of Big Thief and Phoebe Bridgers will fall not only for BURS’ sound, but for their thoughtful conversation-starter songs. Through Windows is compelling throughout, from the inertia of “Eventualist” to the stripped-down submission of “Certain” and the coming-of-age acceptance in “Naturing” – yet even these labels are but brief glimpses into sonic worlds that know no bounds and take no shortcuts in matters of the heart, mind, and soul.
Would you still smile if no one was watching
Have you thought about it before
In details I find myself genuinely happy
But some of the time I’m unsure
Cause I can look at you
And you can look at me
But I’ll never know you
And you’ll never know me
And we’ll never find out
What our faces really look like
I guess that’s alright
I am the book and I’m also the author
I’ll write myself up as I go
We’re always singing of love and our sadness
And this about us I know
My whole existence
Is an act of defiance
And when you know yours will be too
I can’t be certain
Of anything out there
So I can’t be certain of you
– “Certain,” BURS
BURS’ story has only just begun, and we cannot wait to join this definitive artist-to-watch on more pontifications and answerless questioning. Depth and nuance may come naturally to some, but it is never really “easy”: On Through Windows, BURS truly make vulnerability feel familiar and self-expression, limitless. Whether you’re in it for the stories or in it for the sounds, BURS will surprise you, excite you, and leave you breathless.
Experience the full record via our below stream, and peek inside Burs’ Through Windows EP with Atwood Magazine as the band go track-by-track through the music and lyrics of their debut EP!
Stream: ‘Through Windows’ – Burs
:: Inside Through Windows ::
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Eventualist
‘Eventualist’ is a reflection of the idle dormancy with which we promise the most pressing of tasks: “I’ll get to that at some point”. If procrastination were a virtue, the Eventualist is a shining example. Upon the beckoning crescendo of the drums, Burs channels the ironic energy of this character and does away with inhibition in their feverish EP opener.
Certain
‘Certain’ is about the mysteries of the human experience and learning to find contentment in the smallest details of our individuality. It is a shout of both surrender and awed realization that you – and only you – can know what it feels like to live your life, as no one else can possibly have your experience. Learning this frees us to live and do so exactly how we want to; this can ultimately becomes an act of protest towards every larger entity looking to uniform us, or profit from our doubts and/or perceptions of what we may lack. Sonically, Burs perceives this selection as blastoff into a solo, introspective spaceflight; stacks of overdriven basses, guitars and vocal belts serve as a screaming release from their surrounding delicacies.
Naturing
‘Naturing’ marks a childhood’s end, and the coming-to-terms with a chapter concluded, one void of nurturing. Equipped with baritone guitar resonance, percussive delicacies and a duet-style piano performance, the band approaches the emotional intensity of a sun’s breach on the brow of morning – one that is familiar, stunningly beautiful yet totally new. Leaving the nest and venturing the unknown, the final track from ‘Through Windows’ rounds out themes of self-dependancy, youthful nostalgia, and an urgent understanding of change.
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