Sauna’s second single, “Felt”, is what I imagine the Thompson Twins would have sounded like if they’d been tripping on mushrooms back in the 80s. Fueled by Cold War-era paranoia, dayglo euphoria, and under the delusion that they actually lived on an island shaped like their heads, their sound would have been light years ahead of their contemporaries, twisting together new romanticism, new wave, and post-punk art-rock into a tight, funky, groove that no one would have appreciated at the time.
Lucky for Sauna’s Zach Bines (Weaves), Braeden Craig (Greys), and Michael le Riche (Fake Palms), the Thompson Twins were never that pharmaceutically adventurous. While Suana describes “Felt” as a throwback to “Las Vegas, 1950s. Diamond necklaces, sequin dresses, classic cars, and tailored suits. American opulence packaged at its most optimistic,” the track clearly traces its heredity back to the Me Decade’s most decadent descendants. Making disco out of discord and unafraid of dirtying up the melody, ”Felt” has all the makings of a defining statement for the trio: a musical detour from each members output with their other bands that clearly sets Sauna out as a band with its own sound and sense of style.
