Album Review: Sulka - Take Care
Sulka - real name Lukas Clasen - posted on Instagram in early December that new album Take Care was ‘the best thing (he’s) made so far’. Now that we’ve had the chance to sit down and absorb the album, we know exactly why.
The project is self-produced, with Clasen playing every instrument and putting together twelve unique tracks in a low-fi indie rock style. ‘Porch’, ‘She Cares’ and ‘You & I’ have previously been released as teasers to Take Care, each of which showcases a different side to Sulka’s persona.
You can just imagine the punchy track ‘Chasing’ going down well with huge crowds once venues open their doors again. And ‘Sleep Cycle’ is a truly beautiful piece of music that is completely lyric-less but features some awesome acoustic guitar that speaks for itself, and ‘She Cares’ has one of the catchiest melodies on offer.
Another Glasgow-based talent, he has been popping up on Scottish radio and BBC Introducing over the last year. ‘Fear It’, the first track on the album has enjoyed airtime on BBC Scotland on more than one occasion. We really were not expecting such a well-produced, accomplished record from a young artist who is relatively unknown and just finding his feet in the UK’s music scene.
He has laid bare that Take Care “consumed” him for most of 2020, and he has described the album as his “most coherent and mature sounding record yet”. The twelve tracks on Take Care follow Sulka’s mellow scuzz style but are not so similar that they blend into one. The album feels pacey and fast-moving, as the longest song ‘Big Divide’ clocks in at 3 mins 39 seconds, while ‘Sleep Cycle’ lasts for a mere 59 seconds.
After a rocky 2020, ideas surrounding mental health and taking care of ourselves and others are a key theme emerging in music produced during this pandemic. The final song, ‘It’s All Over’, is aptly named to end the album. It’s safe to say it will not be all over for Sulka, whose career is just beginning with this surprise treat of a record. Take Care proves that the Glasgow native has all the potential to make a massive impact.
Words: Bethany Lodge