Label: Chess Club
Release Date: 1st October 2020
Rating: 7/10
"'Kill Me' is a single with serious vibes, as well as a serious message."
A year after the release of sophomore album Ulfilas' Alphabet, Sundara Karma have re-emerged with explosive new single, 'Kill Me.' Lead singer Oscar Pollock told NME in an interview: “it’s the most autobiographical song I’ve written. It summarises a lot of feelings I went through in the last year”, which speaks true to the sentiments heard throughout the song. 'Kill Me' is a single with serious vibes, as well as a serious message.
After a deliberate break from the music scene, Sundara Karma stated that they wanted to come back after some “troubled times more determined than ever.” This was the inspiration behind the new single. Although the melody is upbeat and vibrant, the lyrics represent the deeper meaning Pollock discussed: the line “Drunk at the steering wheel while I pop a pill, antidepressants” emphasises just this.
Pollock further told NME: “I got to a point where I felt lost within myself. I wasn’t really too sure where things were going and I was very close to going away for a year. It was very much an existential crisis which, fortunately, seems to have resolved. I’m definitely inclined to feeling depressive and, basically, depression. That runs in my family.” The track encapsulates the need for open discussions on all things mental health, and creating the song with this in mind was incredibly humble.
Addressing social taboos in an upbeat song doesn’t feel the most obvious choice, but it works. Discussions surrounding mental health don't have to be dark and dreary. The chirpy riffs uplift the tough meaning, drawing attention to the punching lyrics: the conversation Sundara Karma are starting is one of great importance.
Words by Courtney McLaven.
10th October 2020.
Comments