Quiet Sonia – Wild and Bitter Fruits (2022)
Blending indie-rock with folk, shoegaze and post-rock, Quiet Sonia brings two very different tracks to our ears with their debut EP Wild and Bitter Fruits. While there is a central focus on composition and the exploration of melodic arrangements in their music, the EP takes you on an emotional adventure. Swirling fragile emotions that carry a hint of bittersweetness, the tracks move from tender to uncompromising and everything in between.
Through the two tracks of this EP, the artists behind Quiet Sonia are really showcasing what they have to offer. The seven-piece group is fronted by Nikolaj Bruus whose vocals are brooding yet roaring. His vocals and songwriting are taken to new heights by the instrumental prowess of Thea Thorborg Pedersen (violin), Fredia Rolskov Pedersen (piano), Phillip Dyssegaard (bass), Rasmus Jon Lundager (organ, synths), Anders Meyer (electric guitar) and Jens Marl Christiansen (drums).
The EP starts with ‘This Tender Violence’ and its tender acoustic guitar tones. There is an expansive feeling to the melody as it carries a touch of spring air to your senses. The rather mellow vibes of the opening have a heavy folk influence to it that is felt in the rich earthy and organic tones of the instrumentation. Bruus’ vocals have a floating feeling to them as they haze over your senses. There is a wonderful interplay between the melody and the vocals that enhance the story they are telling. At times, the melody dips for a deep scratch against your senses, before moving into a soft flow that leads you to the vocals. The dynamic movement of the melody keeps you engaged and you may not notice that the song is just under 10 minutes long. The reaching expansiveness and the intimate vocals settle around you, while smoothly leading you through the track.
‘No Weeping Melts the Armor’ brings a different feeling to the EP with a more rock feel, compared to the folk touch of the opening track. There is a shoegaze vibe to the guitars as they bring a touch of psychedelia to the track. While the vocals were almost brooding in the last track, they have a lighter feeling on this track. There is a forward momentum to them that pushes at your back, getting you into the overall flow of the single. While this is a longer track, the forward movement of the music and vocals seem to shorten it, leaving you shocked when it ends. The lyrics offer beautiful imagery that flows through your senses to bring the lights and colours of the track to life. At times, there is a slightly discordant feeling to the music as it swells, only to drop back into the initial pushing movement.
With their debut EP Wild and Bitter Fruits, Quiet Sonia unleash two very different tracks that showcase the prowess of their musicality. The folk tones of the opening track are contrasted by the rock edge of the second song, highlighting the versatility of the band. While different, both tracks have a very interesting and unique flow that keeps you engaged from start to finish.
Find out more about Quiet Sonia on their website, Facebook, Instagram and Spotify.
