Sunday Radio’s debut EP, Building Seascapes, was released in September 2008. Though the name is probably unfamiliar to you, Sunday Radio is a local entity and the brain-child of the University at Buffalo’s very own Zong Gu. At this point, I expect that those of you smothered in over-priced UB paraphernalia are bubbling with pride and excitement, but contain yourself, fair reader, as I unravel the account of my meeting with Sunday Radio and inform you of the album’s worth.

I met with Zong Gu in the squalid Generation office on a cold Tuesday afternoon in mid-January. After receiving the CD a week before, I was somewhat dismayed by the album’s reluctance to tackle the reality of the local environment and indulgence in the escapist’s pursuit of “Building Seascapes” here in snowy Buffalo. The album is fronted by Paulo Alexandre’s photograph of a Hawaiian shore, and the inlet features another beach photograph, which alienated me by providing little to relate to. Yet at the time of the interview I was ignorant of the album’s content, since my gramophone fails to spin CD’s, and thus I asked Gu to elaborate on the album’s themes. “California,” he explains, is the story of traveling to an unfamiliar place and “losing yourself to find yourself.” The song deals with the theme of escapism, which initially caught my attention, and reveals Sunday Radio’s desire to flee the severe cold of the Northeast for the more accommodating Western sunshine. Gu sings “Good morning California / I’m always thinking of ya / when I am caught up in the rain.” Yet it seems as if the song is concerned less with the philosophical journey that Gu suggested than a migratory impulse to find warmth.

Like most musicians, Gu is reluctant to categorize his music. Yet, in a half-satirical effort he suggests it could be labeled “indie-tronic-pop-rock.” As Gu acknowledges, this does little to clarify the issue. He picks a few influence to demystify the issue slightly, citing Death Cab For Cutie, The Album Leaf, and American Football. As far as an influence goes, it seems as if Death Cab tops the list, practically dictating the direction of Building Seascapes. Zong Gu does a good job of replicating Ben Gibbard of Death Cab’s voice and mixes the same kitschy electro-beat with somber piano breaks. This is most apparent on “A Language Only Sirens Could Comprehend,” where Gu juxtaposes an excessively synth-sound with a melancholy run on the piano. Strangely, Sunday Radio doesn’t shy away from almost replicating Gibbard’s trademark sound, but as often happens with imitations, they leave you thirsty for the real deal. After a couple of listens to Building Seascapes, I feel like switching to Transatlanticism or Plans.

This being said, Sunday Radio does a good job of creating an exceptionally listenable EP with an impressive variety of cosmic sounds and beats. The production quality of Building Seascapes testifies to Gu’s ability and reveals the potential that this project has. Furthermore, Gu coordinated the album himself: writing the lyrics, playing the instruments, programming and producing which all highlight the talent which underlies Building Seascapes. Indeed, Gu is a professionally trained pianist and a self-taught guitarist, bassist, drummer, and singer. Thus, Sunday Radio embodies terrific potential for the future, yet, as it stands, Building Seascapes lingers too heavily in the shadow of Ben Gibbard for the album to leave a lasting impression on the listener.

For the future, Zong hopes to take Sunday Radio on the road and is currently arranging a band to interpret what has until now been a solo effort. Sunday Radio’s first EP is available from Amazon.com, CdBaby.com and iTunes. Look out for the upcoming release, which is scheduled for the late summer.