Sunshine Navigator
Bio
Sunshine Navigator may be an optimistic moniker for a group formed in a global pandemic, but equipped with vocal and sonic flourishes a la alternative giants like The Flaming Lips, Oasis, Smashing Pumpkins, and MGMT, listeners will soon see the light.This emerging rock outfit comes from LA by-way-of Memphis and Philadelphia producer Julio Santiago, whose time in Memphis revived a deeply held love for guitar driven rock. Julio spent years as a music producer and beat maker working behind the scenes with such artists as Kid Ink, Nipsey Hussle, and Moneybagg Yo. While in Memphis Santiago began building demos with much of the early song craft coming during the recent global pandemic, many of the lyrical themes trend towards the contemplative. Santiago has described the feeling of obsoletism accompanied by dissociation as by-product of our fast paced Information Era, terming it “Millennial angst.” This angst along with relationship constraints represent just a few of the raw emotions poured out during a time of turmoil, loss, and confusion.
After landing on the west coast in summer 2021, Santiago connected with Bay Area guitarist Miko Lorenzo, whose overdriven blues and rock tonality offered the perfect foil for the singing and songwriting Santiago envisioned for the project. The addition of LA drummer Seth Olansky who’s played with Best Coast, and Family of the Year, really brought the sound home. Together with Lorenzo and Olansky, the trio began to craft new concepts from rough sketch ideas that had been floating around with Santiago since his days in Memphis.
Sunshine Navigator released its first two singles, “The Storm” and “Wrong Time” in late 2022 and early 2023 independently with a full project coming soon. With support stretching from the band’s west coast birthplace by the likes of KCRW and all the way back to WYXR 91.7FM Memphis, the act will be one to follow as they continue to expand their repertoire and drive into the future.
