American 10-piece band Sullen has started the year with their most electrifying release, “The Fighter.” Simply, here it is, and it isn’t mincing any words. Fronted by the magnetic Robert “Sully” Sullivan, sullvn further confuses the lines between soul, funk and modern rock with a dynamic and visceral sound, creating a wallop.
The genre-bending collective co-writes the track with longtime collaborator and producer ROME (also known as Rome Ramirez), setting a tone for a potential breakout year for the group. But this isn’t just any love song. “The Fighter” is all about inevitable chemistry, no matter how hard you resist. It’s all passion, tension, and surrender in one. That burst of raw intensity flows through the track but sheaths it in sumptuous instrumentation and delivery from Sully, brimming with earnest, soul-steeped personality.
The single is smooth but aggressive, intimate but explosive. Bassist James East’s polyrhythmic pulse, Nacho Sobres’s shuddering layers of percussion, and Tomoka Nomura-Jarvis’s sultry saxophone solo push the track into the realm of the cinematic. There’s tension in every groove, resolution in every chorus, and a story you might feel as much as you hear.
The production polish of ROME ties it all together, showcasing the band’s signature panache while allowing its emotional heart to remain front and center. Like their previous collaborations, there’s a synergy between Sully and Rome here, and this sounds like two creatives who have it locked in. “The Fighter” is a signal. sullvn is constructing experiences that linger. Built on an anthemic foundation that rises to an emotionally charged peak, this song delivers a knockout blow for those who’ve pursued love but wouldn’t relinquish it.
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