CREDIT: AMRYN SHAE JAEKEL AND LIAM FLAGG
Sunshine Express, a band consisting of two Fanshawe graduates, is making London their home away from home and playing at every venue they can.

When you hear about bands that were started in Fanshawe, your mind probably goes to the music industry arts (MIA) program, but talent can blossom anywhere.

Sunshine Express is a band made up of two Fanshawe TV and Film graduates, along with two others, and they are anything but normal. The band consists of Matt Jaekel on guitar and vocals, Jessica Nguyen on sampling, Aidan Ridgeway on bass, and Justin Dobbelsteyn on drums.

Their sound is hard to describe and even harder to nail down as a genre. They are not inspired by one band or artist either. They attribute their inspirations to a whole era of rock.


“We were really inspired by early rock and the features that really set it aside from pop,” Jaekel said. “I want to say it is a kind of chaos that sets it apart and that’s really what we are trying to do. We just want to bring more elements into our performance that transform it.”

Performance is an apt term for describing Sunshine Express, as they do not simply play on stage. Nguyen, who primarily handles live samples in their performances, also runs a live lightboard, turning shows at any venue into an immersive experience.

“We really try to incorporate a lot of dynamic elements that are just fun,” Jaekel said. “At one show we had everyone bring in light sabers, like from Star Wars, and turn the mosh pit into a battle.”

But their performances are much more than flashy lights and interactive sets. Sunshine Express is a fever dream of disco-esque vocals over ambient waves of synth with hypnotic drums and diverse samples. Their songs are unpredictable, powerful, and captivating.

Take their new single “I Luv S.EX,” short for I Love Sunshine Express, which came out this year for example. The song starts out almost like a ballad. Slowly, layers of ambient synths come in, building with guitar melodies, and culminating in spikes of dynamic instrumentation blended with haunting vocals.

Nothing is off limits when it comes to song creation, as samples from Minecraft music and Star Wars have both made their way onto tracks.

Sunshine Express is the kind of band that does not just invite you to get into the music. Their songs pull you to your feet, as each new layer of sound flows through you.

Sunshine Express are weird. There is no mistaking that. But if they are wrong, you should not want to be right.

While they started out with a different lineup in London, they now call St. Catharines home and work with the label Routine Exploits. Despite the distance, Jaekel said, “We really want London to be our home away from home. We love the city and I really regret not getting more into the local scene when I lived there. I really want to keep playing even more shows in London and be a part everything great they have going on.”

They should have plenty of shows in London in the new year and you can find out when on their Instagram @sunshinesexpress.