SCHANZ burst onto the solo scene with “The Sun,” and man, what a way to make an entrance. You know this guy from his synthpop/electro/wave duo Pitch Black Inc.? Well, he’s gone rogue – and despite the track’s origins, there’s nothing cheesy about it. This is the spark that ignited the entire SCHANZ project in 2024. It’s hands down the most unapologetically positive track on his debut album, AD/2.
Let’s rewind. The man behind SCHANZ is no rookie. Before PB Inc. (active since 2004), he was out there belting vocals and shredding guitar for the gothic rock band Desert + Fortune from ’94 to ’05. They even scored spots on compilations like ZILLO and GOTHIC. You can hear that history running through the project’s veins – he’ll tell you himself it could be alt-rock, indie, goth, or punk-tinged. But honestly? Who cares about labels when it rocks this hard? And “The Sun” rocks with purpose. The story goes that this very track was the final straw, deemed “too cheesy” by his Pitch Black Inc. partner, Harald. But SCHANZ knew it was gold, a finished piece that demanded its own space. Harald’s throwaway comment, “Just call it Schanz,” ultimately christened the project, and “The Sun” became its founding anthem.
So, what’s the sound? “The Sun” pulses with real, honest-to-god optimism—a rare thing. The track thrives on this killer combo: those lush, synthetic strings that swell up behind everything, creating this gorgeous backdrop, while the chorus just explodes with what SCHANZ calls “lightness.” Being the first song he wrote for SCHANZ (or really, the song that birthed SCHANZ), it sets the bar pretty damn high. We’re talking full-blooded rock here, powered by guitars—exactly what SCHANZ was itching to dig into when he went solo.
And the meaning? It’s a love song, plain and simple. SCHANZ doesn’t dance around it—he wrote this for “a very special person” in his life. He thinks the imagery in those lyrics can really connect with people, really move them. And it’s not sappy or fake—it’s genuine rock emotion, like a beam of light breaking through today’s sometimes-cynical music scene.
“The Sun” is the declaration of independence for SCHANZ. It proves a “cheesy” idea in one context can be pure, anthemic gold in another. Press play, feel the lightness in the chorus, and welcome SCHANZ to the solo stage – he’s arrived, and he’s shining.