Soda Blonde - Isolation - Content (EP)
If the staggering vocals of this Dublin group sound familiar, it’s because they are. Soda Blonde wasformed last year by four members of the critically acclaimed Little Green Cars, whose debut album (produced by Marcus Dravs) hit the Number One spot in Ireland and saw them gain a coveted spot on the BBC Sound Of poll. Now producing the music themselves, whilst also creating all the artwork and visuals, Faye O’Rourke, Adam O’Regan, Dylan Lynch, Donagh Seaver O’Leary’s new project finds them operating as fully fledged polymaths.Their debut EP, Terrible Hands which was released at the end of last year. In support of this, the group performed a series of sold out shows in their hometown, toured across Ireland and played 2 UK shows in Manchester and London, leading to them being asked to support Sinead O’Connor at her Iveagh Gardens show (now postponed to the summer of 2021.
Right from the start of the opening track I Hear Birds the vocals are dreamy and the overall instrumentation takes the listener away from the everyday reality somewhere to the outer space. The lyrics deal with frustration and the need for a change, evident from the lines "I can't, I won't, I'm not running through all that after all I've done for you..."
Motion is more upbeat track that most likely won't allow your body stand still. The passionate vocal of Faye O'Rourke expresses all the layers of feelings one goes through in these strange times. You get the impression that the world is not only black and dark as it seemed at the start of this, there's something in between.
June is probably most emotionally charged track of them all, playing with the imagination, taking your mind into the sky, let it fly away as you listen.... Lyrically, it comes with ideas and plans the best was looking forward to be doing in the aforementioned month once current situation passes. Given this was written in March, June seemed an entirety away.
A Day at a Time showcases the band in its entirety. Beautiful harmonies, timeless melody and a sound that crosses boundaries and makes you feel in company eventhough you find yourself alone. If we take the title of this closing track literally, it's giving us a great advice how to cope with current circumstances. The world is so unpredictable at the moment that you can't plan much ahead, most likely from one day to the next. Perseverance is the key. Maintain an open heart and believe in the good outcome.