Check out our review of the new album "Sogni" by PRIMO!
The Australian trio of guitarists Xanthe Waite and Violetta DelConte Race and drummer Suzanne Walker released their first album Amici back in 2018, and have recently added to their lineup with the addition of bassist Amy Hill. They have just released their second full album ‘Sogni’ (Italian for ‘Dreams’) and the album benefits from the line up change, with it’s injection of new ideas and dynamism, that results in a kind of freshness to the sound. This is a great album, and it’s greatness lives in it’s simplicity….. it’s raw, but a refreshing and uplifting piece of work and sticks to the short (no more than 3minute) punk song philosophy. Some of the tracks reminded me of bands such as The Primitives, others have hints of bands such as The Ramones and The Jesus and Mary Chain (admittedly with a little less fuzz/overdrive lol). But they have a post-punk style very much of their own, as they weave delicately between upbeat jingles and then sudden, unexpected but brilliantly placed electronic elements.
The album tackles themes such as change, heartbreak, time, daily life and decision making. A delightfully simple fuzzy guitar riff sets the tone for ‘Things To Do’ very much following the ‘less if more’ philosophy. It’s the perfect example of how brilliant something so simple can be, and yet not become monotonous.
Maybe my favourite track is ‘The Machine’ which tackles the struggles of the traditional workplace hierarchy, and how we are controlled, like machines, with repetitive rules and restriction.
‘The Best and the Fairest’ challenges the listener, to ponder what is important in life, what matters most to us all as it asks “What makes a life, a rich one, what would you leave behind…..” What would we be prepared to forego if we had to choose what to do without. Again, simple and yet subtle lyrics are the key here… no over complicated conceptions or theorems, just the raw simplicity of the question….. What matters to you? Pure, simple, effective.
‘Love Days’ tackles the subject of past relationships, how we seek out close attachments and the things life throws at us to disrupt our happiness and how relationships can work to handle this, and laments the loss of such a friendship.
Another highlight for me was ‘Rolling Stone’. Opening with a single guitar riff, it settles into an almost monotonous but somehow hypnotic rhythm as the vocals kick in. I’m struggling to describe it in actual fact. Some will listen to it and think “wtf was that”, but somehow, for some of us….. it’s wonderful. Towards the end the track broadens out with some brass sounds before fading to oblivion. A Marmite one I’ll grant you, but I loved it.
The album becomes more upbeat with ‘Diamond Days’ which reflects what it’s like to get swept up accidentally, and falling in love with someone. The pace again quickens with ‘Present’ and ‘Up in the Air’ as we reach the final track ‘Reverie’ and encounter a pleasant surprise.
The thing is, the whole album has a certain style, and simplicity to it, and then we have ‘Reverie’ It flows organically, much more than the previous tracks with it’s flowing and gentle chords and limited vocals, comprising only two short verses. It’s VERY different from the rest of the album, but far from standing out as odd, it works so well, kind of like a warm down after a long run, or a relaxing meditation session. The positioning at the end of the album is simply brilliant, and has a wonderful effect of changing your mood. All through this album I had the volume up, tapping along to the beat, adrenaline up, then wham! we’re brought back down, almost melting away into a quiet, contemplative state. Just wonderful….. again so simply, but brilliant.
In summary, I really enjoyed this album. It feels well rounded, and has that wonderful change of pace, and mood at the end. It has a simplicity to it, and a purity which is delightful. The new record, while being well-rounded, also proves to be diverse enough to avoid feeling repetitive or dull. I love the bands spontaneous and offbeat style, but kinda feel they are still a work in progress still, as I feel the girls have so much more to explore and experiment with, and I can’t wait to hear the results. I’ll look forward to seeing, and reviewing them live at some point in the not too distant future, as I think Sogni will translate brilliantly to the live stage setting,
This was a real joy to listen to in 2020, and brought back some memories of a style from years ago, but somehow new and fresh. This is one I’m certainly going to be adding to my vinyl collection soon, and I’m awarding it a 4/5 LiveWire marking.
