Bright sun, hot rays, happy visitors, and a self-satisfied observer of the whole scene – me! Yes, I fondly remember the old days when I saw palm trees, beaches, and cigar or rum factories in front of me while I gazed at the azure water. The rolling waves, the intoxicating sound, and the absolutely fulfilling moment of enjoying it all. Well, at least that was the case before the PC.
The game "Tropico" was already a hot and great place that I always liked to visit. How did I come to this now? The reason is as simple as it is clear: "Che Sudaka"! Why and how this band transports me back to my old childhood shoes will be clarified shortly… so, sunglasses on, sunscreen unpacked, and the beach umbrella hammered into the ground!
Similar to the aforementioned game, "Che Sudaka" manages to take me to a wet and cheerful Caribbean world where you damn well feel ready for a vacation!
You can hear bongo drums, clean guitars played in ska or Hawaiian style, the bass is nice and groovy, and the singer sounds like a (multi-voiced) Rasta-locks person who just took a fresh hit from a bong. Instruments like the tried-and-true accordion also find their way into some songs. So, this is a mix of reggae and ska with some string instruments and other nice innovations that I wasn't really used to from this genre. "World music" is probably a term that most people can relate to and can build a vague idea from.
Lyrically, I can't really say much, as "10" is entirely in Spanish (at least I believe so). But that shouldn't be too bothersome, as anyone who lazily bakes in the sun will likely be the last to think about interpreting the lyrics in depth. It is sufficient that the voice serves its purpose.
However, it is strange that this music is not meant for just sitting around and clouding your brain with various vapors. It rather compels you to burn the tracks, throw them into a CD player, and leave the house to soak up the long-overdue sun that you have almost forgotten due to your increased presence in front of the home TV. Of course, there’s a cold beer with good friends at the beach. That sets the scene for the almost perfect summer day!
But unfortunately, there are some shortcomings: With about half an hour of runtime, the music with its 10 tracks (hence the album name) ends relatively quickly. You can hit the repeat button, but a few more songs would have been nice. The old problem of "line fidelity" also arises here. This means: If you can't relate to this music, you won't find anything on the whole album that you would even slightly enjoy. In contrast, fans are likely to feel like they're in heaven and devour every single track.
For me personally, this is quite a surprise. I am really not a "world" guy who consumes every culture-enriching music, but in this case, I can truly say that I find real pleasure in it. Even if "Che Sudaka" won't be a constant favorite, they will certainly be mentioned again and again throughout the day. I am already looking forward to the first rays of sunshine to truly carry out the thought experiment mentioned above. This group from Barcelona definitely lifts the mood!
It's worth a listen, you lazy sunbathers!
