Love at First Listen: Tash Sultana
Rolling Stone
You know when you stumble upon an artist's song or performance, and in the first few seconds of hearing it you know you'll be a fan for life? As if you were meant to find a super talented needle in the huge musical haystack of the internet?
That's how I felt when I stumbled upon the Rolling Stone video of Tash Sultana, posted above. I watched this and fell immediately in love with their sound, their style, and approach to how they play.
I mean, what a powerhouse. Since discovering this video over a year ago and subsequently devouring Sultana's EP Notion over and over, I have been eagerly awaiting a full album. Eagerly isn't a strong enough word actually... I've been ravenous for a full album from Tash Sultana. And on August 31st, that album finally came. It's called Flow State.
Flow State is a feast for the ears.
If you're like me and you're constantly on the hunt for good rock and roll in a world that doesn't seem to celebrate it the way it used to, Sultana feels like a true gift. Armed with an exquisite rasp to the smooth honey of their voice and the ability to play multiple instruments simultaneously, they are what every modern rock fan is dying for in a musical landscape that seems to not only accept but celebrate lip syncing and lack of songwriting acumen. To us starving rock fans, Tash Sultana is a six course meal in a Michelin star restaurant.
I shouldn't say starving as though there isn't a bounty of incredible rock and roll artists out there. There really is, and Tash Sultana is just one of many current artists boasting amazing music and talent.
I think it's easy to feel like rock and roll is dead because of the lack of attention it seems to get these days. but rock is far from dead.
Gone are the days when the likes of The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, and Led Zeppelin (to only name a few) are revered as gods. But I think what's partially to blame for this is the fact that we simply have so much music at our fingertips nowadays. Bands don't feel as monumental as they used to because we have unlimited access to ALL bands out there. We're not limited to what's available at the record store anymore. You know the internet haystack metaphor I mentioned earlier? Well, there aren't fewer needles, it's just a bigger haystack.
Plus, rock and roll has evolved to the point where it's sometimes hard to recognize. What's so wonderful about alternative music its propensity to blend different genres and create new, fresh sounds. Classic rock has been mating with hip hop, dubstep, jazz, classical, and so forth for years, and the resulting offspring have forged their own musical path.
Tash Sultana is an excellent example of rock and roll's mixed gene pool; the progeny of classic rock, R&B, psychedelic, reggae, and hip hop, among others.
So rock fans, it's not that you're hungry because of a lack of rock and roll. You're hungry because the menu is lengthy and constantly changing. It's it's hard to decide what you want and it's easy to get overwhelmed with the options. And kind of overwhelm can keep us from seeking great music out, leaving us feeling like it's not even out there. In the ever-expanding musical library of the internet, where do you even start your music search? This is what makes Top-40 mainstream pop artists the easy choice for a lot of people. You don't really have to seek them out - they're easy to access. It's the musical equivalent to ditching the nice restaurant with the lengthy, complicated menu and hitting McDonalds instead.
No, rock and roll is not dead. It's alive and kicking. And screaming.
Tash Sultana is one of many artists out there who deserve a good, thorough listen. Check out Tash Sultana's new album Flow State, and I also highly recommend their EP Notion. Buckle up for a trip down a groovy, psychedelic, soulful road. I think you'll love every second of it.