Sudan Archives rewrites modern love music with ‘THE BPM’

Sudan Archives’ latest project, THE BPM, blends Jersey club, trap, EDM, and Detroit house, showcasing her ability to combine euphoric dance and emotional intensity, which she previously highlighted on her sophomore album Natural Brown Prom Queen.

From Archives’ mantra “The BPM is the power” to her alter-ego ‘Gadget Girl’, THE BPM contemplates her artistic ambition and her recent heartbreak. In a recent interview with Vogue, she explains that this third album centres on themes of “hyper-independence” and “self-exploration”. 

On the lead single ‘DEAD’, we see Archives fully reborn with a rebound as strong as the opening track itself. The multi-instrumentalist blends orchestral strings, textured vocals, and earthy drums to introduce a tonal shift from her previous work.

THE BPM feels like an ode to her love of music that bleeds through your headphones perfectly

Archives’ violin sections resonate and complement the single ‘YEA YEA YEA’ more notably than other songs. The conversational lyricism and the hopeful violin melody slowly break down – mirroring her now-ended relationship. The lyrics “Tryna mask it with makeup / I wanna fight then make up” over a pulsating bass line develop into her new identity where “Money is [ her ] mascot”. 

Beginning impressively, from ‘DEAD’ to ‘MY TYPE’, Archives’ tone shifts as the project shows the weight of repetition, and she becomes breathless towards the end of the album. ‘Gadget Girl’ becomes a carrier of answers and self-discovery for Archives’ break from her relationship.

‘Gadget Girl’s’ augmented appearance on the album cover represents the vintage electronic kit she used to create THE BPM. Chicago techno and Detroit house run through the veins of the album, jolting us from pop-bangers like ‘MY TYPE’ to euphoric EDM in ‘THE NATURE OF POWER’. Producing and collaborating with her close family, each track proves to be in tune to Archives’ vision and sound. THE BPM feels like an ode to her love of music that bleeds through your headphones perfectly.

Sudan Archives carves her own path with a collage of genre, experimentation and hits

Subdued songs such as ‘SHE’S GOT PAIN’ and ‘DAVID & GOLIATH’ show Archives’ dynamic lyricism and forefronts the album’s themes of rebound, power, and emotion. Experimental breakbeats and rhythm create a juxtaposition with lyrical similes – “Feeling comfy like a canopy” – that somehow mould together to create a cohesive, and forward-thinking album.

‘MS. PAC MAN’ is a digital trap blend with over-the-top lyricism and a heavy bass line, whilst being perhaps the outlier of the LP; Archives does not fail to pull attention back with ‘LOS CINCI’. Lo-fi beats and breathy vocals singing “I’m done with people pleasing right now, so I’m mean right now” lead flawlessly to a violin solo over hypnotic breakbeats. To follow is one of the standouts – ‘NOIRE’. In this song, ‘Gadget Girl’ pioneers her newfound identity in an almost six-minute epic. With a darker bass line and staccato lyrics, the songs pull you into a world of dance and solace as the end of the album grows closer.

Lucky for us, Archives’ momentum has not stopped since NBPQ as she continues to innovate her own musicality but also develop the current scene of dance music. As cultural cycles bring dance music back into the mainstream, Sudan Archives carves her own path with a collage of genre, experimentation, and hits. Archives never fails to pioneer and manipulate genre through cultural and personal contexts to showcase how “THE BPM is the power”.

Recommended Listening: ‘DEAD’, ‘YEA YEA YEA’, ‘NOIRE’

★★★★

Listen to THE BPM here: