Sundara Karma’s recent release, ‘Wishing Well’, reaffirms the band’s ability to articulate a feeling of missing out in the form of a catchy song.
Among the songs released along with it, it is the only track that has its focus more on the rhythm section. ‘Baby Blue’ and ‘Friends of Mine’ draw their edge from angsty guitar sounds, which the band is known and loved for. Previous releases such as ‘All These Dreams’ take on a similar tone lyrically, but go towards a more electronic direction in terms of its instrumentation.
This release is refreshing in that it culminates the more poignant side of their lyricism in conjunction with a more rhythmic approach, making for an ethereal song. The simple yet melodic bass riff and warm, metronomic drumming provide a backdrop for the lyrics and electronic sounds to shine through, similar to what bands in the 80’s such as New Order did. What particularly stands out about the track is that its melodies put the song on a high despite lines like “all I do is sit and wonder // and think about how beautiful life could have been” suggesting resignation. It takes a typical symbol of hope, a wishing well, and turns it into a tune of longing.
In terms of its target audience, Sundara Karma’s fans who were once 16 year olds on Tumblr, and likely now going through a quarter life crisis, are bound to resonate with it. It’s refreshing to see a band stay true to their sound and be able to move with their demographic’s experiences.
‘Wishing Well’ is an upbeat track coupled with words that describe the feeling of an excruciating “what-if”. Thankfully, we won’t have to sit and wonder when their next release is as there is a great deal to look forward to from Sundara Karma.
Words by Marinel Dizon
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