Sun Atlas gets away with "The Grand Theft"

"Being robbed or taking back what’s yours—you choose which side you’re on."

In my inbox sat a name, "Sun Atlas" it was. I did not think much of it at first glance, I had never heard this name before, no idea what this would him, her, it, or they would sound like, so I hit the play button on the preview link with absolutely no expectations and no prejudice. This is exactly how I like to get into a new artist if at all possible, discover the new and mysterious, with no context and no warning.

Now, I do not have synesthesia. but I can definitely *feel* what colors this song *is*, and brother, it is a fiery orange like the sundown. This song is hot and sweaty and intense. The purely instrumental track is a 1970s bash of brass, drums, and Organ -ostensibly a Hammond-that has this gritty and sultry action spy thriller influence, evocative of "groovy arabesque psychedelia", and strong-enough afrobeat influences that any Fela Kuti appreciator will immediately fall in love with.

The Project Known as Sun Atlas has not revealed much of its origins, we do not know who or what is behind it, and by obvious preference, it would seem the project is content to keep us guessing and fluffing up the mystery with cryptic descriptions of the improbable rather than the definitely mundane. "Oh It's not two space aliens from Alpha Centauri, it’s just Mike and Ahmed's project; they're a couple of acid jazz musicians who they lived in a tiny flat in the Bronx that got suffocatingly hot in the summer". That might as well be the story behind this flaming release, but for all I know, both of the obscured figures to whom we attribute "The Grand Theft" might as well be two already very famous individuals wishing to detach this single from their faces. Whatever the case may be, an educated guess based on some scarce evidence leads me to believe that one of them is Ethiopian, or at the very least, in love with their culture.

The Grand Theft isn't exactly "new" in the strictest sense of the word. The song was released as a vinyl-only single in June of 2019 through Mokambo Records. Quickly being sold-out and not making a comeback until today. Fortunately, this comes as a sort of announcement that the duo is definitely working on a full album to be released through Berlin-based label BLOODSTREAM.

MEET THE AUTHOR

Samuel Aponte is Venezuelan-born raised and based. 

I joined Rival Magazine after a few years of doing PR work for independent musicians of all stripes; understanding their struggles to be heard in a sea of constant  ADHD noise and paywalled access to platforms, I now bring a willingness to always appreciate and encourage the effort and creativity that artists put into their work . Can also find some of my writings on LADYGUNN and We Found New Music.