Sudan Archives – The BPM (2xLP)

With the worldwide success of Natural Brown Prom Queen behind her, Sudan Archives has gone one step further: a hands-on DIY artist has become an executive producer.

Recorded in Los Angeles, Chicago and Detroit, the innovative US violinist, singer, songwriter and producer has dedicated herself entirely to club music with THE BPM - her third and probably most ambitious album to date. Still characterized by her signature instrument, the violin, the music on THE BPM is more danceable than ever.

Reviews

"The whole record is exhilarating, a bustling house party where the aux is only ever passed judiciously." – musicOMH.com

"This dense, claustrophobic album is discomfitingly of the moment: Sudan’s characters sprint through these songs as though movement is a survival tactic, a way to push forward as the world presses down harder than ever." – Pitchfork

"As it stands, The BPM allows Parks to showcase what a massive talent for writing and composing she has, removed from any constraints or genre terminology. A daring statement of intellectual and rich dance music that demands attention." – Beats Per Minute

"Parks does a remarkable job finding the fun in her introspection in a way that feels organic rather than forced." – Paste Magazine

"‘The BPM’ is Sudan Archives’ bravest album to date. Lyrically, she effortlessly sings about love, loss, redemption, mental health issues and, err, 1980s computer games. It’s refreshing to hear someone this comfortable in their own skin unburden themselves like this." – Clash Music

"Virtually every element, whether played or programmed, is in service to Parks' sybaritic visions, and they all stimulate movement free from restraint." – AllMusic

"Perhaps it's the vulnerability at the core of THE BPM that really makes what Sudan Archives is doing still feel so fresh. Standing out in the club music scene, it sets a new standard for anyone interested in playing with sound while maintaining an accessible heartbeat." – Exclaim

"It could read as overstuffed – and at times, it can feel that way – but the sheer force of performance and skilled production more than carry the album." – The Skinny

"While the concept means Parks' violin takes a backseat, it makes for a dizzying, future-facing hybrid of dancefloor sounds." – Mojo

"Throughout the album, both the singer and the music itself are constantly on edge, and yet The BPM pulses with the kind of euphoria that can only come from letting loose on the dance floor." – Slant Magazine

"THE BPM is Parks’s riskiest and most rewarding album to date, and proves that the artist can manipulate her tendencies into whichever form she pleases." – Glide Magazine

"At 15 tracks, The BPM is rather too much of a sensory overload, but this is enthusiasm in context." – Uncut