With its modernized psychedelic feel mixed with an alluring melody, the Auxes’ album, “Sunshine,” presents a sense of sheer hopelessness to its listeners.

Auxes is astoundingly a one-man band, which consists of Chicago indie/rock performer, Dave Laney. The album was recorded above Cliff’s Meat Market in Carrboro, North Carolina and mixed by Brian Paulson, who has worked with other indie/rock bands such as Slint and Beck.

Time and creativity resulted in 13 songs with Laney himself providing the vocals, drums, guitars, synthesizer and organ ingredients. Additional vocalists include Ben Davis, Heather McEntire and Tara Grayson. Ben Davis also contributes the lap steel guitar, which produces mellow tunes and vibrating pitch, in the song, “Cold Day in Hell.” The album was released under Lovitt Records and will be released in October.

Judging by its CD cover, first-time listeners may receive a misleading impression of Laney’s music. Seven out of the 13 songs convey the recognizable “about a girl” element, but with the melancholy tone and lyrics absorbent with heartbreak comes risqué scenes that flash throughout the listener’s mind.

The song, “Greeting Card Perfume,” sets the stage for a miserable soul abandoned by her lover. The most striking lyrics of this picturesque tune proclaims “you have a kid, and a car, and a job, and a home, but you still feel alone.” The synthesizer and organ music creates a blurry, vibrating tone, while the yelling, grunting vocals of Laney adds to its creepiness. Because of the straightforward yelling of the lyrics and unusual sound, this is definitely not a song to dance to.

“In The Things Lovers Do,” lyrics resembling prose formed poetry and the raspy bass guitar chords create a grunge undertone in the song. These riveting elements construct a rustic bar scene where a girl thinks back to the way she mistreated a past partner.

“Happy Days,” a short, 1 minute and 34-second song, is introduced with a swaying, mesmerizing melody that’s twisted in with Laney’s rifting vocals. Messages of hopefulness are eventually ruled out when Laney puts himself in the spotlight and describes how he regrets taking a relationship for granted.

The last two songs, “Brother” and “Hometowns,” provide an upbeat and celebratory tone, while the messages illustrate leaving the past behind and progressing on through life. These stray away from the satiric side of the album and bring light into the record’s mood.

“Sunshine” evokes the same effect of lying in a dark room to calm down or wrapping up in a cover to keep warm; the darkness of the music is both calming and stress releasing.