ALBUM REVIEW – MILES KANE - " SUNLIGHT IN THE SHADOWS "
- HARRY K
- Oct 13
- 2 min read
WORDS HARRY K
MILES KANE – SUNLIGHT IN THE SHADOWS
Out October 17th
PRE ORDER HERE
70's Swagger Meets Northern Soul Grace
The Wirral rocker finds sunlight through Motown grooves and Marc Bolan strut on his most soulful record yet.
★★★★☆
Miles Kane has always had one foot in the past — but on Sunlight in the Shadows, he finally makes that nostalgia sound vital again. Out October 17, the album fuses the slick confidence of ‘70s grooves with the rhythmic pulse of Northern soul and the romantic ache of classic Motown. The result is a record that sounds like it’s been dug out of a vintage jukebox and polished for 2025.
Produced by Dan Auerbach, the record feels drenched in warmth and grit. From the first moments of Love Is Cruel, all fuzzy guitars and sharp handclaps, Kane sets out his stall: groove first, ego second. The title track rides an irresistible bassline, all swagger and shimmer, while Electric Flower blooms with psychedelic colour — the kind of song that sounds tailor-made for a sticky-floored dancehall.
But Sunlight in the Shadows isn’t all flash and flares. Beneath the glitter, Kane’s writing digs into the tension between bravado and vulnerability. Tracks like Always in Over My Head and Without You pull back the curtain, showing cracks in the leather jacket. There’s a lived-in tenderness here that his earlier work sometimes dodged, and it makes this record more rounded — more human.
The influence of Marc Bolan runs deep: not just in the glam-rock strut, but in the way Kane lets joy and melancholy dance together. Blue Skies and Sing a Song to Love shimmer with that T. Rex-style effervescence, while closer Walk on the Ocean drifts out like a faded Polaroid — wistful, cinematic, and beautifully weary.
If there’s a flaw, it’s that Kane can sometimes lean too hard on familiar sounds. The Motown swing and soul strings are gorgeously rendered, but a few moments risk tipping from homage into pure throwback. Still, the energy is infectious, and Auerbach’s production keeps everything taut, dusty, and alive.
Ultimately, Sunlight in the Shadows feels like a love letter to everything Kane grew up adoring — and a reminder that vintage soul and glam rock still have room to surprise. It’s the sound of an artist finally shaking off imitation and stepping into his own light.
Rating: ★★★★☆
Sunlight in the Shadows - Track Listing
Love Is Cruel
Electric Flower
Sunlight In The Shadows
Coming Down The Road
Always In Over My Head
Blue Skies
My Love
Without You
Sing A Song To Love
Slow Death
I Pray
Walk On The Ocean
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