Sandra Vu has played drums for the likes of the Raveonettes, Boredoms, Dirty Beaches and the Dum Dum Girls but with her side project, SISU, Vu steps out from the drum set to be a frontperson. September 17th will mark SISU’s full-length debut released from Mono Prism Records, and the forthcoming album reportedly builds on the Light Eyes EP, which was released earlier this year. 

“Harpoons” the first single off Vu’s solo effort only bears the slightest resemblance to her work with the Dum Dum Girls – the track has a similar airy quality but with propulsive drumming, buzzing synths and swirling electronics that create a dark, subtle sense of menace and dissatisfaction (which shouldn’t be surprising as Vu has mentioned that much of the material was heavily inspired by a dark period of disillusionment between bands). 

Interestingly, SISU’s sound has been compared by some to the Smiths, which strikes me as  – well being a little odd because there is a goth-like, hypnotic shoegazer quality to the song, while it possesses something of a pop sensibility as the song has a rather catchy hook. 

You can catch Vu and Sisu live as she’ll be on tour with Dirty Beaches, Chasms, and Colleen Green. The tour will include stops in Montreal, QC; Boston MA; the Bowery Ballroom on Friday; Washington, DC; Toronto, ON; Chicago, IL; St. Louis, MO; Nashville, TN; Austin, TX; Phoenix, AZ; and several other stops across the country.