Stephen Sol & the 7 - Sunshine Wine EP (2025) Hi-Res

That’s what the debut EP Sunshine Wine by Washington D.C.’s Stephen Sol & the 7 feels like: warm, golden riffs wrapped in stories that cozy up to your heart.

This five-piece troupe bursts onto the scene with five vibrant tracks that blend earnest folk vibes with soft-rock grooves, soulful grit, and a cheeky wink of humor — all threaded through Stephen Sol’s heartfelt troubadour storytelling.

Washington D.C.’s Stephen Sol & The 7 are stepping into the spotlight with their debut EP, Sunshine Wine, and it’s every bit as warm, vibrant, and heady as the name suggests. It’s an intoxicating introduction to the world that feels alive. Across five tracks, the nine-piece collective offers a crash course in their world: a space where folk-rock storytelling meets psychedelic shimmer, alternative grit, and a whole lot of soul.

At the centre of it all is Stephen Sol, part troubadour, part ringleader, and part comic relief. His songwriting doesn’t shy away from big feelings: love, heartbreak, rebirth, joy. But he delivers it with a wink, backed by a band that knows how to keep things cinematic and communal. Think horns that light up the room, gospel-tinged backing vocals that feel like friends singing along, and guitar solos that cut through with a raw edge. If you’ve caught their live shows at Union Stage or Galactic Panther, you already know this is a band that thrives on energy, humour, and connection.

Sunshine Wine kicks off with its title track, a golden-hour anthem that feels tailor-made for late-summer evenings, equal parts nostalgic and hopeful. ‘The Moon’ slides in as its moodier twin, all mysticism and soaring harmonies, while ‘Forever Changed’ strips things back to acoustic intimacy, letting vulnerability take centre stage. By the time ‘Spring (I Made It)’ arrives, the energy bursts open again; it’s a survival song, a rebirth anthem, the kind of track you want blasting on a long drive with the windows down. The closer, ‘Hum of Love’, seals it with joy, radiating positivity without tipping into cliché.

What makes this EP stand out isn’t just its variety, it’s the way the songs feel stitched together by genuine warmth. This is a band that sounds like a community, each member contributing to a whole that’s bigger than themselves. It’s not polished to sterility; it’s textured, a little unpredictable, and all the more human for it. In a streaming era where tracks are often engineered for the skip button, Sunshine Wine is best taken as a complete experience.

Stephen Sol & The 7 aren’t just offering a debut; they’re inviting listeners into their universe. It’s playful, soulful, and unafraid to wear its heart on its sleeve. If you’re looking for music that feels equal parts cathartic and celebratory, the soundtrack to your next late-night conversation, your heartbreak, or your dancefloor joy, Sunshine Wine might just be your new obsession.