European Sun

**European Sun** is a British indie rock band built around the songwriting of **Steve Miles**, a Bristol-born musician who channels decades of musical influences into thoughtful, politically engaged tracks. Formed in the 2020s, the band features Ian Button on drums, Rob Pursey on bass, and Elin Miles on additional vocals, with production support from Amelia Fletcher. Miles' songs draw inspiration from punk's raw honesty, post-punk's melancholy, and indie pop's melodic sensibility—think Jonathan Richman's observational wonder mixed with the stark directness of Patrik Fitzgerald and the minimalism of Young Marble Giants. Their debut arrived in 2021, and their second album, *When Britain Was Great*, dropped in January 2026, showcasing a sound that blends 1960s playfulness with late-70s new wave and early-80s post-punk aesthetics.

What sets European Sun apart is their unflinching focus on social commentary and human experience. Their lyrics tackle everything from nostalgia for an imagined Britain (the title track is a wryly sarcastic takedown of jingoism and bigotry) to toxic masculinity, war, and the search for kindness in a bewildering world. The band's music is described as "an angry, gentle, heartfelt plea for humanity"—fragile vocals paired with discordant guitar work that refuses easy comfort. This is music made by someone who genuinely has something to say, presented with the conviction of punk rock and the melodic craft of someone who's absorbed decades of great songwriting.