Rofi James – Sorry (2020)
The global pandemic has hit all of us in different ways and Rofi James have turned their experience into their latest single ‘Sorry’. The band has taken the anxiety and mental health struggles that they and many others felt during this time and turned them into a dynamic indie-rock single. Through the single, listeners are led through these struggles and come out in the light at the end.
The single draws on the experiences of each member of the band, Ronan Flaherty, Jamie Murray and Joseph Flaherty. Packed with their signature sounds and anthemic energy, the song shows you why the band was headlining the Galway 2020 capital of culture Fire Festival Tour.
‘Sorry’ has a light electronic pop opening with shimmery synths and deep beats. Floating in the background are vocals hazily calling out for forgiveness. This easily transitions into the primary vocals which are a plush melodic layer resting on the synth pulses. As the vocals move to the chorus, there is a delightfully gruff roughness that comes into the performance. This adds to the emotional anguish of the lyrics and overall performance. The vocals are nuanced as they draw you into the emotional layer of the track.
The spacey opening gives way to a more driven melody as the single progresses. There are a lot of layers to the melody that come together to form the sonic showing of pandemic struggles. However, there is a sense of light woven into the music as it picks up. This gives you a sense of hope that you can work through things. While the single was written about the mental struggles of getting through the pandemic, the lyricism and performance transcend this.
The multi-layered melodic sounds of ‘Sorry’ by Rofi James create a dynamic and emotional single that you want to listen to again and again. The synths, beats and piano line all blend together for a sonic experience of struggles while the vocals hit you with anguish and a light sense of hope.
Find out more about Rofi James on their website, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Spotify.
