Playing energetic indie pop with plenty of jangle and buzz as well as a dash of psychedelic good cheer, Golden Apples began as a one-man recording project from Russell Edling and has evolved into a band that gives his musical ideas more depth. After releasing the debut album Dumbness in 2017, 2021's Shadowland was primarily written by Edling during the 2020 COVID-19 lockdown and despite its tunefulness carried a dark, claustrophobic undertow. As he began bringing fresh voices into his music, the tone brightened on 2022's harder-rocking Golden Apples, and 2023's Bananasugarfire saw Edling's pop instincts reach their full flower. Released in 2025, the more impulsive and moody Shooting Star represented a patchwork of collaborations captured at various recording locations.