Porto’s infamous noise band Sunflowers has dropped their fifth studio album, You Have Fallen… Congratulations! This album marks their first release through UK-based Fuzz Club Records. It is a delightfully strange collection of songs that pulls from garage punk, noise, and psych styles. In it’s entirety the release is zany, strange, and unhinged. Bringing out the best in the band’s collective style. Recorded in a way that leaves the songs sounding similar to classic radio, the album brings a pleasant sensation of nostalgia, especially with the sci-fi effects and warping. This is an excellent listen if you’re the type to love a little something unique in your playlist.
‘Chameleon Kid’ which is the opening song on the Album is considerably bass heavy, which I love. It has a slight start-stop pace where the riffs are interspersed with long singular notes ringing out to completion. The way everything shuffles together is like motion through traffic. The vocals are unpolished as the lyrics are almost lost within the noise. The instruments culminate in chaos and shouting that perfectly matches the feeling of being overstimulated. Coupled with a music video full of trippy colors and mixed media depictions of crowds this is the soundtrack of being the stranger in a sea of people.
The sheer whimsy in ‘I Got Friends’ sets it apart. The abundance of goofy sounds at the start is light and hilarious. Then the warped instrumentals that follow set a harsh contrast as well. The back and forth between the cartoonish and the unsettling makes for a constantly engaging listen.
‘Corpse Light’ has classic horror movie music written all over it. From the groovy instrumentals to the echoed vocals it has all the energy of classic Scooby-Doo music. The slight surf edge to the guitar sections provides a hint of vintage fun. Then, to top it all off, you’re hit with a super psychedelic break in tempo before the ringing finale.
The psychedelic sensation continues in ‘A Therapist’s Special’. The opening is a descent into madness followed by guitar riffs that mimic a pulsing heart. The repeated lyrics delve more into that feeling with the serious tone they’re delivered with. The increasingly loud guitar screech drowning out the lyrics does a fantastic job of mimicking mental overwhelm. Then to switch up the song entirely with a dance section brings back the high energy.
‘March of the Drones’ the longest song in the album is a full journey. Beginning with spacey sound effects that give way to dramatic bells and the entire band paying powerful and solid notes. The vocals mix between the usual clean sound and a robotic tone. The crashing cymbals take over most of the instrumental but don’t completely take away from the funky bass and guitar. What is really impressive is how Sunflowers not only uses their chaotic sound, but how they implement silence. The dead quiet between riffs toward the end makes for a dramatic flourish.
‘Workworkwork’ has the familiar busy pace of ‘Chameleon Kid’ the warped effects feel like they’re being trapped in and endless cycle. The way the chords loop and the vocals get interrupted brings a sense of urgency to everything. The instruments all ramp up little by little with every loop with slightly more drama each time.
The penultimate track ‘You Have Fallen…’ is a quick build up to the finale.
‘Congratulations!’ explodes into being with mysterious and dangerous energy. Coming out immediately on full blast makes for a sudden and enticing jolt of energy. Similar to the previous track, this is all instrumental. It gives a real spotlight to just how skilled the band is from the deep bass, to the creeping guitar, and sharp drums. The track plays itself out and ends with unplugged notes that give a satisfying conclusion to the song. I feel like it sounds as though Sonic Youth got trippy.
You Have Fallen… Congratulations! does a great job showing Sunflowers’ willingness to explore and create something unheard of. Their unique approach by taking classic sounds and modernizing them whether it be the use of psychedelic synth or the crunchy vocals makes for something truly entertaining.
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