Suddenly - Caribou: Review
is one of the monikers of electronic music producer Dan Snaith, and it is considered by many to be his primary project. Started up in 2005 Suddenly is his 5th record under the Caribou name and comes six years after the last Caribou record and less than a year after the most recent release from Daphni, another of Snaith's projects.
Review By Lavender:
I have always enjoyed Caribou's music and that very much includes the two records Dan dropped over the last decade. So while I wasn't anticipating this thing being the most groundbreaking or expansive record I've ever heard, I was really excited for it. And I'm happy to report that Suddenly lives up to expectations.
The record was off to a pretty great start after I enjoyed all three of the singles released in the lead up to the album starting with the excellent Home which made my singles of the year list last year. The slick simple percussion pattern is the surface for a perfect blend of live and sampled vocals for one of the sweetest and catchiest songs I heard last year and one that holds up well within the records track list. The second single You And I was another really solid track with some snappy vocal samples and a beautiful little key riff that I like quite a bit. The song also works its way up to a louder and more intricate final passage that is a rewarding ending to the song. And the final single was Never Come Back a sugary house track that features a pretty simple concept but wall executed vocals and an even better beat to go with it.
The highlights don't stop with the singles though as the album has depth. The opening song Sister is a soft but beautiful ballad with simple emotionally caked vocals and a charming kooky instrumental palette that serves as a great way to introduce yourself to the record. Sunny's Time is the first of a few tracks here inspired by the world of hip hop, and maybe the most direct as it features a short hip hop verse that is sampled and repeated throughout the track. The jittery piano is a slick backing as the refrains fly in and out of the song and I think its unique arrangement is one of its strongest points. Like I Love You basically has a hip hop beat and I like it a lot. The refrains are much more sung than rapped but they still fit well into the beat and the instrumental embellishments are pretty cool on top of it all.
New Jade is a very sweet sounding song but one with lyrics that tell a very different story. Once again the jittery vocal samples are excellently arranged and paired well with the fluttering keys. However the highlight of the track is definitely Dan's great performance as he once again hits it out of the park with this song. Ravi is a more straightforward house track and one of the sparkliest songs on the record. There is a shimmery lead synth line and a tangible brightness in the mix that makes the song a treat to lose yourself in.
While the record isn't perfect there still isn't a whole ton of complaining to do. Cloud Song is the very lowkey seven minute closing track to the record and while I do like the way the track is assembled and it has some interesting textures I would have liked to hear a bit more in the vocal performance and I think the track does go on a bit long. Lime is a really strange track that starts off with some generic elevator jazz style instrumental and some of the records least catchy vocals. Then the song takes a full stop almost out of nowhere and I'm kind of left scratching my head about it. And finally Magpie is a track that I can understand the appeal of, but it didn't really do much for me. The first minute or so of the track is so subdued that its really hard to make out anything in the mix, then the vocals don't really kick in until about a minute left in the song and it's one of my least favorite vocal refrains on the record. With the track not really having an instrumental capable of carrying it I think it is pretty skippable.
Suddenly is proof that even 20 years into his musical career Dan Snaith is still able to hone in his unique musical style while also pushing into new genres and musical directions. The record is a treat for the most part with many absolutely infectious cuts and very few true duds. Pairing that level of consistency with just how catchy and sweet so many of these songs are makes the records one of the breeziest and most fun listens I've had all year. 8/10
