On March 1st, Sundara Karma released their second studio album, titled “Ulfilas’ Alphabet”. Those who have followed the Reading-based, indie quartet will recognise their many lively, fun-filled hits including, She Said, Explore and Flame, which were included in their first album, 'Youth Is Only Ever Fun In Retrospect'. In the new album, however, they have started to alter their style, adding a wave of unusual discordant sounds and funky synth lines. Even so, the band can still be easily recognised by Oscar “Lulu” Pollock’s strong and almost operatic vocals, their harsh and punchy base lines and their simple but effective guitar riffs.
Even from the first track, the album draws you in. A Song For My Future Self begins with an unusual mix of sounds that add to the quirky and curious nature of the record before quickly developing into one of the soulful yet funky songs that Sundara Karma fans know and love.
The next track on the album, is sure to be a banger for many years to come. One Last Night On This Earth is filled with energetic guitar and synth leads which were made for live performances. This was the second single released off this album and was first played at their show in Jakarta, Indonesia.
One of my favourite tracks on the album is “Greenhands”. I love the upbeat and funky bass line which is complemented by the electric guitar and synth lines. This would definitely be an amazing dance track.
Symbols of Joy and Eternity and Higher States are more like funky disco/electronic tracks than classic indie songs but I love it! I certainly don’t think the change in Sundara Karma’s style has affected the quality of their songs.
Halfway through the album, listeners get a break from the band’s upbeat, synth-based songs and, instead, get to relax with The Changeover: a slow and melodic song with meaningful lyrics.
Illusions, the next track in the album and the first single to be released off this album, quickly shatters that mood. From the very beginning of the song (excluding the unusual Siri voice sample), Sundara Karma fans are hit with waves of funky guitar riffs, making this one of the coolest and most interesting songs on the album.
Little Smart Houses has the same energetic vibes as Illusions but with a more summery feel. The track includes some true indie guitar riffs and solos, some quirky rap sections and (just in case this song wasn’t strange enough) what sounds like reggae drums being played in some parts of the song. I loved watching the creative music video for this track in which short, funny clips that fans had sent in of them dancing in front of their houses where made into a montage of comical scenes.
Oscar “Lulu” Pollock’s unusual lyrics in Duller Days and, indeed, the whole album are filled with references to the supernatural and religion. For example, one of the wackiest lyrics in the whole album (from Duller Days) is, “Necromance is as common as the flu”. Even the name of the album comes from the story of a Greek fourth century bishop who invented his own alphabet in order to translate the bible, and, “Sundara Karma” actually comes from the Sanskrit words, meaning “Beautiful Karma”. Other references include the filming of the music video for Changeover in a church, strange spiritual videos posted on the band’s official Instagram page and the names and lyrics of songs (for example, Symbols of Joy and Eternity). All this contributes to the uniqueness of the album (and the band) which makes me love their music even more!
The next two tracks on the album are Sweet Intentions and Rainbow Body. Sweet Intentions is another slow, slick and emotional song whereas Rainbow Body is more of an upbeat, bass-orientated track. Unlike these two tracks, which are very different types of songs, the title track really embodies everything that is Sundara Karma. It begins with a dramatic crescendo before anticlimactically moving into a peaceful piano part. Lots of vocal effects are put on top the lead singer’s lyrics to make the track sound more mysterious and moving. Nearing the end of the track, the piece changes direction dramatically by launching into an upbeat chorus followed by a beautiful guitar solo.
The album ends with a richly-textured, powerful and moving song, titled Home (There Was Never Any Reason To Feel So Alone). I feel as though every track on the album relates to the personal experiences of members of the band. This is evident due to their loud and powerful instrumentation, as well as their lyrics, which are full of emotion and meaning.
Overall, I would rate this album as a high 4/5. I love the overall wackiness of the album, I love Oscar’s Bowie-like vocals and I love the powerful synth and guitar leads which make every song feel like a party. I definitely hope to see 'Ulfila’s Alphabet' reaching high on the UK albums chart in the upcoming weeks. It certainly deserves a lot of recognition.
Ufila's Alphabet is available on all streaming services