The Other Side, the latest album from SORRYNOTSORRY, sits somewhere between the more conventional structures of indie music, albeit the more sophisticated end of it, and the free-floating forms of the dream-pop world. And this serves them perfectly, songs robust enough to sparkle with melody and groove, yet able to head off on expeditions of adventurous soundscaping.
But more than just a collection of songs, it is the story of the band itself, of the meeting of two Venezuelan multi-instrumentalists, Andrés Cottin and Samantha Dagnino, and how a solo project expanded into a band and became the focus for leaving a difficult past behind.
“Upon Arrival” shows what they do so well: gentle, shimmering guitar cascades tethered to a simple beat and pulsing bass lines, but not so tightly that there isn’t room for the song to cloak itself in gorgeous vocal textures and wander through various dynamic changes. Focused but free.
“Foggy Like a Bladerunner” builds interesting grooves, is soulful and jazz-infused, and lingers on the borders of the funky, but, as always, they like to throw a twist into the mix —here, adding some raw-edged sonics to the otherwise tranquil sound. “Sex, Drugs and Cocoa Puffs” is spacious, futuristic, and beguiling; “Love is in the Air” feels as if the song has been written and then certain sonic elements have been reversed, replaced or rearranged into anagrams of themselves, and “Dissappear” sounds like a classic folk song, occasionally making way for intrusive and searing industrial guitars.
SORRYNOTSORRY make beautiful music, but they then almost turn against such a simple idea and feel compelled to thread it through all manner of odd and original sounds. It makes the music impossible to second-guess, a blend of atmospherics and anticipation, ensuring that the listener doesn’t get too comfortable. After all, who knows what’s around the corner? These are songs that never quite go where you think, or if they do, they get there by following wonderfully offbeat sonic pathways.
It’s a strange journey, often unexpected, always uniquely creative, and never short of compelling.
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