Sujokalo is a Scottish dream pop duo hailing from Scotland but currently residing in Sydney, Australia. On their latest album, Bothwell, these passionate and talented musicians treat the listeners to a dreamy and surreal soundscape.
“Sugar,” the six-minute instrumental opener, demonstrates the group’s sheer range and artistry. The first minute offers long, drawn-out synth notes, reverberating endlessly into the abyss. Eventually, a punchy drum beat enters the mix, driving the tune forward with a combination of old-school garage influence and a hint of tribal-esque electronic tom-tom hits. I loved the funky yet subtle bass rhythm, too. The second song, “Oxygen,” opens with stark electric guitar chords and stunning vocals from Rowan. Her voice croons emotively over a melancholic chord progression. Then, much like the opening track, layers of instrumentation are gently added to the mix. A soft drum beat steadily leads the song into a chorus that feels both explosive and atmospheric all at once. This grandiose cacophony of sound somehow retains the tender aesthetic that Sujokalo have so carefully crafted. Additionally, I thought the harmonizing and string arrangements were both truly beautiful. “Even In The Summer” is a catchy little dream pop banger. The catchy drum beat, clean electric guitar hook, synth swells and spectacular singing from Rowan all combine to create a very Clairo-esque pop hit. This leads into the rather melancholic “Back In Time,” which opens with nothing but distant synth notes and Rowan’s marvelous voice. Vocally, there were some heavy Lana Del Ray vibes on this one. I really liked the flanger effects on the guitar, giving the track a little bit of an ‘80s pop feel. Producer David Logrey surprises listeners by offering his own vocal performance on “The Road.” This felt like more of a rock ballad than a dream pop tune, though there was still a dream-like quality to the singing and some of the guitar-work. Either way, I really liked the melody. Things return to more of an electronic aesthetic on “Annapurna,” though. Synth notes, seemingly played in reverse, lead into another tribal beat and bluesy guitar arpeggios. Much like the opening instrumental, this song offers a brilliant bass guitar line. Even when vocals are absent, this duo has so much musical talent to offer. “Falling Down” brings the ‘80s flanger guitar back. This is another synth pop banger, like “Even In The Summer.” There’s bright instrumentation, a catchy beat and Rowan’s tender, whispering vocals. The guitar and synths in the chorus felt particularly colorful. Then, as the title promises, “Lullaby” is a sweet little tune in which Rowan gently sings listeners to sleep. Ethereal guitars and synths support her deeply-emotional singing in this haunting but stunning song. I like the sharp, staccato synth notes that enter, along with a punchy beat, partway through the song. There’s a gorgeous piano piece at the end of the track, too. The penultimate song, “Tripping Awake,” offers a synth string chord progression, Rowan’s intimate vocals and a head-banging beat. There’s a meaty electric guitar rhythm in the chorus, and the “I’m tripping awake” line is a real ear-worm. It might be my favorite track on Bothwell. The final song on the album is a massive seven-minute track, titled “Say Something,” which offers twangy guitar chords over a catchy drum beat. Of course, it’s Rowan’s powerful vocals which really tie the whole thing together, though I was blown away by Logrey’s lush production throughout the closing track. His vocals at the end of the track were really passionate, and I enjoyed the fast-paced drumming and guitar rhythm, too. “Say Something” closes with some powerful synth string chords. All in all, this was an epic end to a dreamy and emotive album.
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