In her debut album, Skinned (2020), ML Buch captivated audiences with wry observations on modern life set against a backdrop of subtly off-kilter electronic pop. Buch's sophomore effort, Suntub (2023), takes a sharp turn, delving into more abstract and corporeal themes.
The 15-track album moves away from the overtly electronic elements of Skinned, eschewing vaporwave synths and Auto-Tuned choruses for a sound characterized by twinkling guitars, frictionless rock percussion and airbrushed vocal melodies. Taking inspiration from classic rock music, Buch creates crisp sounds that tap into the past. With Suntub Buch surprises us with the bold and deep sound of electric guitars and layered ethereal vocals while experimenting with new instrumental expressions.
One of the album's most intriguing aspects is Buch's vocals, which possess a peculiar airlessness. Smooth and free of vibrato, they float ethereally above the instrumental sounds, lending the music an otherworldly quality. Throughout the album, Buch's gorgeous voice remains a constant, soothing presence that brings life to each track. Despite its nostalgic undertones, her music possesses a timeless quality, as if it exists in a liminal space between past and future. Each song ebbs and flows like waves, crashing and then retreating silently, bringing with them memories of times gone by.
“Freaky yet gentle, innovative yet deeply nostalgic, Suntub’s beauty lies in how it embraces our human clichés, tenderly blitzing them into a primordial soup of universal feeling.”
ML Buch performs at Rewire 2024 on Saturday 6 April