Sluka are led by led by singer, songwriter, musician and performer Christopher Sluka. Their fanbase spans continents, and they have recorded 11 studio albums.
Along the way, Sluka has been compared to Bowie, Coldplay, Radiohead, but Christopher’s music has a uniqueness which demonstrates his originality. To put Sluka in any category is difficult, and why would you try? He is also an accomplished painter and flies aircraft and runs his own flight school in San Diego.
Sluka set up his own label Steel Flower in 1994, then released standout projects like 1997’s A Matter of Perception and 2016’s Introversions. Other key Sluka albums include 1989’s critically acclaimed Emotional Battlefield and 1990’s Fear of Ordinary Life. Next is Figure It Out, due out Oct. 1, 2021.
The adventurous title song finds the band accompanied by a live orchestra, and was produced by Grammy Award-winner Alan Sanderson. An immense track with full-blown orchestral arrangements, “Figure It Out” features a hefty rhythm section pounding out rhythmic patterns in some sections, while soaring, beautiful strings rise out of the ether in others.
The opening is magnificent, with drums entering to create the pervading rhythm, over which the vocal line enters. This is powerful, delivered with emotion and the energy is tempered with a gentleness verging on tender at times. The vocals on “Figure It Out” are reminiscent of Michael Lee Aday (better known as Meatloaf), in delivery style and sound at times.
Sluka’s ever more visual delivery is probably best experienced in live shows, where his anthemic songs are accompanied by equally enthralling performances which have enabled Sluka to sell out venues large and small for years. He has appeared on television numerous times, taken part in radio broadcasts and films. He also works with supremely talented musicians who share his visionary view of music development.
All of that comes to bear in the superb accompanying video, which opens with a focus on the bowed bass and viola; trombone and trumpet emphasize the power. A soft piano then leads into the ensemble playing together. The vocals are delivered with dramatic emphasis before another quieter interlude with flute and piano, and then a return to the dramatic delivery. The silver-skirted dancer manically cavorting in the background behind Sluka’s arm-waving turn might disturb some watchers, but Sluka also adds a little cavorting of his own over the almost prayer-like ending.
Early in his career, Sluka worked in the same circles as Tears for Fears, INXS, Talk Talk and Simple Minds in the New York club scene, but after recording a single in Los Angeles with Cat Gray (who worked extensively with Prince), he found his most enthusiastic audience with Japanese listeners and released two albums there. His childhood involved moving every couple of years, so Sluka’s upbringing was likewise multinational – and this is still reflected in his music, which has patterns and rhythms of different cultures enveloped in its rock-based bottom line.
“Figure It Out” is just another genre-blurring, progressive music development, the latest re-invention of Sluka’s sound. This eclectic style is crystalized in both the recording and the video, which involves musicians, dramatic delivery and manic dancing. Listening to and watching the music feels like hearing a stage in the evolution of Sluka, and they will continue to develop, creating the steadfast interest in the band which has lasted decades.
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