Sun Araw describes
Rock Sutra as a space rock album, but it has barely anything to do with the musical style of that name -- don't expect to hear anything along the lines of
Hawkwind or
Spacemen 3. Instead, it's about creating space by honing in on the minute details, doing so through pure observation rather than analyzation or judgment. The album was recorded directly to MIDI by
Sun Araw mastermind Cameron Stallones with percussionist Jon Leland and synthesizer player Marc Riordan, and its four compositions consist of tightly controlled yet fractured rhythmic patterns and angular note sequences, with a minimal amount of delay or other effects applied, and only at key moments. The grooves have a sort of gallop to them, carrying over a bit from the warped country of
Sun Araw's previous studio album, 2017's The Saddle of the Increate, and there's enough of a warm, encouraging spirit to the tracks so that they don't sound too heady or clinical. Some moments are strangely celebratory, such as the sudden burst of audio fireworks halfway through "Roomboe" (the exact moment that
Sun Araw describes as space being created). "78 Sutra" is quite playful, with a refracted Afro-pop rhythm and a hopeful vocal hook, all covered in sprawling guitar vistas and exploratory synths. "Arrambe" is even sunnier and more elevation-seeking, continually scoping inwards to make everything clearer. The skipping, swooping "Catalina Breeze" is as brisk as the album gets, with lyrics simply about walking around the room, and a light reggae rhythm that occasionally surfaces, providing the record's most straightforward moments, before scattering again. As with the majority of the
Sun Araw catalog,
Rock Sutra comes from a familiar place but encourages the listener to see things from a different perspective. ~ Paul Simpson