Clutter want to sound “loud and fuzzy” because, as they put it, that’s how they take up space. On their debut LP, Sugar Rush, that idea comes through in the distortion, repetition, dry drums, insistent basslines and vocals that would rather unsettle than soothe. Everything is there to keep the power and immediacy of their live shows intact.
The Swedish four-piece have said that around 90 per cent of the energy in their songs comes from writing them and playing them together as a band. And you can hear it. Sugar Rush stands out because of the intensity Clutter bring to every song. Their sound is physical, easy to recognise and already very much their own.
“GirlVsHeart” sums that up perfectly: riot grrrl spirit, garage grit, cutting riffs and a voice somewhere between a scream and a sneer. Bikini Kill, early Yeah Yeah Yeahs and the urgency of Jemina Pearl in Be Your Own PET all hover around it. On “Everything Suxx”, things get darker: the bass brings a strong post-punk pull, the guitars twist around it and the dry, distant delivery has plenty of Sonic Youth in it.
But Clutter aren’t just about turning everything up. “Grease Baby” runs on an almost motorik rhythm, very Neu! and Can, with that slightly odd pop edge you get from Stereolab. On “Robot”, guitars and bass settle into a mechanical pulse with an electronic feel, but the song never loses its punk spirit. And on “Pop Rock Sugar Rush”, they head straight into hardcore and turn that energy into one of the album’s most intense moments.
All that noise doesn’t hide the vulnerability. If anything, it makes it harder to ignore. On “Hello Kitty”, among pink walls, stickers and unwashed dishes, there’s the unease of living on your own for the first time. The bright summer of “Grease Baby” starts to fall apart once comparison creeps in. And on “C.L.U.T.T.E.R.”, going out, dancing and drinking are ways to celebrate friendship, but also to switch off for a while. On this album, euphoria never really comes on its own. There’s always some anxiety underneath.
That’s why “I Wish I Could Keep It Together” catches you off guard. Acoustic guitar, whistling and a lo-fi anti-folk feel make it the album’s most exposed moment. Then “Fame” lifts things again with bright ’90s indie. Finally, “Unbothered” starts with little more than vocals and guitar, then slowly fills out and pulls back before breaking loose completely in the instrumental section.
With Sugar Rush, Clutter are growing up on their own terms, without letting go of the noise, the playfulness or the chaos. They don’t hide their doubts; they turn them all the way up. It’s their way of making themselves heard, taking up space and turning insecurity into energy. And good energy at that.
Listen to Sugar Rush in full.
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