The Reason - Sour Solution
Dan BunnHere at CSC, you’ve probably already noticed that we’re big fans of Sour Solution. Whether it’s their incredible videos, unique skating, or funny graphics, whenever Sour release anything it’s safe to assume that it’s gonna be bangin’. While we’ve already looked at some of Sour’s video and product offerings, we also want to talk more broadly about why we love Sour so much, and why we choose to stock the brand in our shop, because we don’t just let anyone grace our shelves. You gotta earn that shit.
Photo: Gustav Tønnesen with an 'I Can't Believe It's Not Regs!' switch 360 flip, shot by Sem Rubio.
Obviously, being a skate shop, we do kinda have to mention Sour’s skateboarding. For the uninitiated, it may be easy to overlook sour with their sometimes simple designs and mostly European team, which lacks some of the famous names of many US brands - not to mention the fact their names can be difficult to pronounce for English speakers: Nisse Ingemarsson doesn’t exactly roll off the tongue. However, as soon as you witness any one of their unique crew of skaters in action it becomes instantly clear why Sour receive so much praise from those in the know. Whether it’s one of their groundbreaking full-length videos, or just Instagram clips of Gustav skating a mini-ramp, it’s pretty easy to see that the Sour boys are in a league of their own. Each one of the skaters brings something new and interesting to the table, whether it’s Gustav’s quick feet, Albert Nyberg’s mastery of no-complies, Josef Scott Jatta’s speed and power, or Simon Isaksson’s all-terrain approach. The term ATV gets used a lot in skateboarding but nobody embodies the term better than Simon who literally skates all terrain, whether it’s rocks, grass, or even water, Simon cruises over anything in his path with style, although I guess Amphibious All Terrain Vehicle may be more appropriate in this case.
Photo: Simon Isaksson threads the needle with a tight backside tailslide. Shot by Gerard Riera.
Despite the unique approaches of the individual skaters, the team still maintains a sense of cohesion, with each skater complimenting the next, helping to give their videos a sense of continuity that just makes sense. Although it’s not unusual for teams to be made up of similar skaters, what is unusual is how unique each individual skater is, while still sharing enough similarities with each other that you can instantly tell you’re watching a Sour video. Each of the skaters offers the perfect balance between hardcore technical street skating, like flip-in-flip-out grinds and backbreaking pretzels, and light-hearted and playful creativity - think weird and wonderful slappies and wallrides, tricks into and out of water, and ludicrous street-loops - all the while doing everything with effortless style and grace. It’s safe to say there’s nobody else who does it like Sour.
Photo: One small step for Simon, one giant leap for skateboarding. Simon Isaksson shattering the boundaries of possibility with the first ever street-loop. Shot by Gerard Riera.
Of course, with their unparalleled line-up of legends, all of Sour's videos are an absolute treat to watch, with both of their self-titled videos, 'The Sour Solution' and 'The Sour Solution II', becoming instant classics. 'The Sour Solution II', in particular, is one of our favourite videos in recent years with all of the boys coming through with absolutely mind-boggling parts. You know the video's gonna be a serious banger when it opens with an improvised rendition of Herbie Hancock's 'Watermelon Man', the song from Guy Mariano's legendary part in Girl's video 'Mouse', performed on beer bottles and various household items. Did we already mention that the video was filmed and edited by the multi-talented Gustav Tønnesen, who also has an amazing part in the video? Yeah, pretty impressive shit. They even offered an open bar, as well as handing out free spliffs, at the Barcelona premiere of the video; now that's a classy move. We'll be taking a closer look at the video soon with a dedicated video review, but if you haven't already watched it you better rectify that quick.
Photo: Gustav Tønnesen takes this switch crook into the tight transition of the jersey barrier, Deerman would be proud. Shot by Samuel Ashley.
While their skating’s obviously pretty important, being good at skating alone usually isn’t enough to earn legend status, just look at The Berrics for proof that being ‘good’ at skating doesn’t really mean that much if that’s all you’ve got to offer. Sour on the other hand, are certified legends of the highest order. Not just because of their skating, but because of their incredible sense of humour and their willingness to take the piss out of just about anyone who deserves it. Whether it’s Sour Solution’s videos or their skateboard decks and clothing, they never take themselves, or anyone else, too seriously. Sour never shy away from poking fun at some of the more pretentious aspects of skate culture, with Sour’s videos frequently taking the piss out of Supreme and William Strobeck’s videos, like in their video ‘SUCKNESS’ which subverts the title of Supreme’s ‘SICKNESS’ video, as well as mocking Strobeck’s signature style of filming in the video’s introduction.
Photo: Martin Sandberg takes this frontside tailslide up and over the sign, shot by Gerard Riera.
NFT pioneer and crypto-currency expert, Nyjah Huston, has also found himself at the butt of Sour’s jokes for his questionable fashion choices in his particularly cringe-worthy ‘Til Death’ part, with the Sour Solution boys mocking Nyjah’s terrible garms, horrendous song choice, and the video’s overly-dramatic editing in a skit they posted to Instagram. Not gonna lie, I’d rather watch Nisse flopping around on the floor covered in baked beans over Nyjah Huston any day of the week.
Even one of skateboarding’s most stylish brands, Pontus Alv’s Polar Skate Co, have fallen victim to Sour’s lampoons, with Sour Solution’s ‘Benihanas Forever’ graphic satirising the iconic Polar ‘No-Comply’ logo. While we’re big fans of both brands, it’s sick to see skate brands poking fun at each other in a lighthearted manner, as we’re big believers that skating should never be too serious, although I don’t think Pontus was a fan of the graphic. You can’t please everyone though, I guess.
