On her new song “Sundress in Pink” London-based artist Viji manifests a mollifying fantasy of an endless summer. As the third single she’s shared off her upcoming debut album So Vanilla, it arrives saturated in hazy shoegaze that serves as the nebulous foundation for previous releases “Sedative” and “Karaoke.” Fans in the U.K. will also have a chance to catch Viji in concert as she tours the country through the beginning of November.
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Meandering through a landscape of dazed guitar doldrums, “Sundress in Pink” finds Viji sustaining a simple but warmly alluring desire. One that revolves around the laid-back pleasure of enjoying a summer that never ends — at least not while she finds herself wearing her favorite sundress. “Hands on the ceiling, summer elysian / Now it’s been weeks and I don’t want to go home,” she coos soothingly. “Out every evening smoking and drinking / Sundress in pink your life is colorful.”
“This song is one of my favorite ones off the record,” Viji said of the single. “I’m not sure why but I think the bed of instruments is really comforting to me. The title essentially creates a world in which summer never ends. As long as I’m in the dress I can stay out as long as I want. It’s about escapism, for me it was in people and mostly I didn’t care who.”
Even as the song’s softly grumbling riffs grow more cacophonous — droning earnestly around her radiant vocals — its bittersweet melody and lyricism remain deeply heartwarming. Splitting the difference between Viji’s heavier grunge sensibilities and the eloquent sincerity with which she bares the vulnerable intimacies of the heart and mind. “I try really hard to leave but stuck here craving company,” she confesses. “I succumb / Make room for one / Life’s fantasy.”
“Sundress in Pink” also comes with a music video filmed in Marseille that exudes the same nostalgic moodiness elicited by the single. The footage itself alternates between monochromatic and colored shots that focus on Viji sitting in her eponymous sundress — which remains the sole item in color throughout — alternating between moments of quiet solitude and the enthused presence of companions.
So Vanilla the new album from Viji is out on October 27th via Speedy Wunderground, pre-order it here.
Visit Viji on her Instagram and TikTok to stay updated on new releases and tour announcements.
Words: Steven Ward
Watch the music video for “Sundress in Pink” the new single from Viji below!
