Sonic Winter – Never Bet the Devil Your Head (2021)
Paying tribute to blues legend Robert Johnson, Sonic Winter tell the story of an artist’s day of reckoning in ‘Never Bet the Devil Your Head’. Drawing on deep blues vocals, trip-hop drums and catchy synths, the band considers what happens after you sell your soul for musical genius and the time to pay up has arrived. While there is a clear story in the lyrics, there is a metaphorical meaning meandering between the tones, touching on liberation, upliftment and a dash of melancholy.
While paying tribute to a great artist, the band borrows the title of the track from a short story by Edgar Allen Poe. Originally formed in 2012, at its core, the band is really a duo comprised of Jean-Mary Millière (guitar) and Francis Girola (keyboard). To diversify their sound, they are joined by a variety of talented musicians for each of their tracks and projects.
‘Never Bet the Devil Your Head’ carefully draws you into the single with a stripped-back and progressive opening. There is something enigmatic about the opening, as the initial line builds and shuffling tones rub against the back of your brain. The build-up through the opening leads to a crest of sound that has you falling into the most perfect fusion of tri-hop and blues. The piano keeps pulling you forward, while the beats have your head gently bopping to the rhythm. This forms the perfect foundation for the dark blues tale of the lyrics, while bringing a delicate touch of light. The synths vibrate with a rather ethereal feeling. Everything comes together for a really intense melody that is utterly irresistible.
Cutting into the melody are the dark deep blues vocals. There is a growl to them that beckons you further into the track, while the lyrics lay out the tale of an artist facing their reckoning. The lyrics are wonderful as they bring a slightly retro vibe to the music, as you are drawn into the heyday of deep blues. The vocal performance is passionate and immersive as they lay out the story and grasp at your clothes with smoky shadowed fingers. Through all of this, the darkness of the subject is tempered with something a little lighter, yet tinged with melancholy.
Sonic Winter draws you into a deep blues story of reckoning after a deal with the devil, soaked in their immersive and enigmatic sound with ‘Never Bet the Devil Your Head’. The melody slowly draws you into the sound before captivating you with the layered and irresistible sound. The vocals are deep blues perfection as they lay out the tale and grasp at you with shadowy fingers.
Find out more about Sonic Winter on their Facebook, Instagram and Spotify.
