New Jersey’s Bright Shining Lights have released their highly anticipated second full-length album, The Sun Is A Star—an expansive and ambitious concept record arriving nearly five years after their 2020 debut.
Bright Shining Lights is the project of longtime collaborators Art C Gusmano and Rob Maru, former members of the 1990s local Jersey legends Wellcurbs. Drawing on influences from Pink Floyd, Radiohead, The Cure, Arcade Fire, and Yo La Tengo, the duo craft music that blends cinematic storytelling with immersive rock soundscapes.
Originally signed to Deko Entertainment for their debut, This Is Where We Start (2020), Gusmano and Maru went independent for their sophomore release. Distributed through DistroKid, The Sun Is A Star is a bold 16-track odyssey that fuses film-like atmospheres with intricate arrangements, guiding listeners through a narrative journey among the stars.
“The album began with one track—‘Go For Launch,’” says Gusmano. “That idea grew into an overarching story about exploration. Space, as the ultimate unknown, gave us a backdrop to explore themes of isolation, belonging, and purpose.”
Maru adds, “These kinds of projects require patience and persistence. They evolve layer by layer, iteration after iteration, until the music and words merge into something bigger than you originally imagined. The Sun Is A Star is exactly that.”
Much more than a collection of songs, the record uses its narrative structure to invite listeners into both a literal and metaphorical voyage. On the surface, it is the story of space exploration. But as it unfolds, the journey deepens into themes of discovery, self-reflection, and transcendence.
“In some ways, this is music for a film that hasn’t been made yet,” says Gusmano. “We wanted listeners to be able to create their own visuals with every track—making the experience personal and different each time.”
In an era dominated by singles and playlists, The Sun Is A Star is a testament to the enduring power of the album as a complete, immersive experience. From the shimmering opening notes to the final echoes, the record seeks to rekindle the joy of diving headfirst into a body of work with a beginning, middle, and end.
The Sun Is A Star is now streaming on all major platforms.
We are go for launch.
“The Sun Is A Star” is available on all the major streaming platforms.