Sundara Karma, Kill Me
Chess Club
Sundara Karma have proven their range – shedding the indie-darling Dark Fruits trappings they accumulated on the back of their debut album to create a glittering Bowie-esque soundscape of a sophomore record. They’ve both returned to their roots and gone further than ever on brand-new track Kill Me – this is the sound of a raucous mosh-pit in 2030, simultaneously sparkling like an 80s pop banger.
From the off, it’s clear that Kill Me is a classic Sundara Karma anthem, with a fresh Sunny K facelift. Following an intro coated in shimmering guitar magic, Oscar Pollock chimes in with his unmistakeable voice to command the track with the magnetism he’s never lost for a moment, retaining the nostalgic glamour that characterised Ulfilas’ Alphabet. However, the shinier side of Kill Me is deliciously smashed together with the impossibly catchy indie-pop flair of their earlier work. It almost feels more of a logical development, a stepping stone between Loveblood and One Last Night On This Earth – but when have Sundara Karma ever been logical?
Kill Me is a banger with flair. The brand of jangling guitar practically trademarked by Pale Waves saturates the track, but still feels unmistakeably Sundara Karma thanks to the howling theatrics of the delivery. ‘Kill me’ is a more brazen statement than the delicate metaphorical handling of Sunny K’s previous record, but it works – it’s a fierceness that flies in the face of anyone who finds their subversive indie-pop challenging.
There’s no telling yet what Kill Me is a sign of with regard to what’s next for Sundara Karma – but it’s for definite that this looks to be their most exciting era yet. Combining their anthem credentials with their glitzy boundary-pushing dramatics, they’ve crafted something that’s not only a gem of a song, but it’s also the most Sundara Karma tune yet, reminding us why we love them.
Kill Me is out now.
