SURES have risen so rapidly that their online bio simply reads ‘We started a band’ – it’s almost like their upward trajectory has been so lightning-fast that they haven’t had a chance to update it. Having been signed to Ivy League for only a matter of weeks, the Sydney quartet’s five-track debut EP stakes their claim to be Australia’s best new proponents of dreamy, perfectly-polished guitar pop, and after filling support slots for the likes of Real Estate and Best Coast, Stars gives SURES the chance to be themselves. At only fifteen minutes it is a short but solid mix of breezy harmonies, surf licks, and catchy melodies. Opener ‘Stars’ is a guitar-driven flash of catchiness coupled with a biting lyric of “you think you’re the shit, when you’re fucking the stars”. Second track ‘Poseidon’ mixes Jesus and Mary Chain haziness, ’60s pop-tinged vocal harmonies, and daydream-y mythology, before winding up with a soaring guitar solo. The beautifully-executed harmonies continue in ‘The Sun’, along with a simple lo-fi guitar riff and synth beat. ‘Romeo’ is a simple doe-eyed love song that manages to include singer Jonas Nicholls’ smartarse line “just a few drinks here and there, gets me that much cleverer” before confessing undying love to his Juliet. The influences here are wide-ranging and eclectic without being relied upon too heavily, as the foursome carve out their own unique sound on this excellent debut effort. Stars are what SURES deserve to be. (Ivy League Records)