While Louis The Child’s 2020 album Here for Now confronted life’s fleeting nature, the Chicago duo’s The Sun Comes Up basks in the glow of optimism. The journey to this brighter, more carefree sound was a winding one. When Robby Hauldren and Frederic Kennett were working on Here for Now, they reframed the idea of mortality into an appreciation for life. By the time it was released in June 2020, amid the pandemic, the album’s bittersweet theme loomed even larger. The duo followed their varied inspirations wherever they led them, from early-2010s EDM on their nostalgic Euphoria EP to their Black Marble side project’s grimy warehouse sounds, accompanied by film-noir-inspired visuals. The Sun Comes Up finds them in a new era that’s colourful, summery and whimsical, where blue skies and fluffy clouds replace the darkness. “Make You Mine” (with Whethan and Hayley May) and “Slow” (with Łaszewo and pluko) are bright-eyed songs flush with young summer love, while the French house/UK garage hybrid “Believe It” (with Madeon) is eager to rekindle a past relationship. Nostalgia resurfaces on “How High” and “I’m Not Giving Up” (with MEMBA), the duo returning to their early days of dreamy future bass. But the album also showcases newer sounds, such as “Let You Go” (with Drew Love), which brims with pattering drum ’n’ bass and glittering guitar riffs. Meanwhile, club influences pulse through tracks like “Underground”, “Wonderful” and “Cloud Monsters”, where effervescent house rhythms with chopped vocal samples are equally suited to late-night dance floors and daytime festivals.