Sudan Archives - “Limitless”

SXSW 2020 - OEB Score: 9; Popularity Index: 9

Pairs Well With…Kishi Bashi, Erykah Badu, H.E.R.

Sudan Archives turned in a masterful record last year with Athena, the alternative R&B artist’s debut and a sharpened, lush evolution of her experimentally fluid sound. Using violin as a lead instrument, Sudan Archives finely blends organic and electronic modes on Athena, smoothly grooving in down-tempo rhythm. Threads of Afro-pop and chillwave pop also play major parts in Sudan Archive’s music, yielding a dreamy yet tight sound over this beautifully crafted LP. (Kevin McStravick)

2017 Review: Truly unique, Sudan Archives takes R&B on an experimental, looped journey, mixing violin, vocals and electronics into intoxicating jams. Even her recordings have to spirit of improvisation, a nice twist to electronic-based music that many times is more measured than free. See “Escape”, a nearly eight-minute piece with shades of Eastern melodies, hip hop and worldly chants. It’s a far cry from pop music, uncompromising in intention and scope and a refreshing take amid the sea of indie pop artists surrounding her at SXSW this year. She expectedly gets pretty far out (the epic, highly minimal “I can’t breath” is a challenging and rewarding effort), using her voice not just to sing, but to manipulate sounds like a mad sonic scientist.