We Speak Music
Sohodolls release punky new single ‘Mother Wouldn’t Like It’
“I wrote this song with another band that I was friends with back in the noughties” says Sohodolls’ Maya Von Doll. “When their band disbanded, I asked if I could have this song and tweak it to make it Sohodolls. I’ve had it on hold for years and years but feel that now the time is right to unleash it. I wonder if the menacing guitar riff will captivate listeners the way it used to captivate me when I’d watch my friends’ band play in dodgy London venues where you’d have beer crates form the stage”, she adds.
The track continues the recent Sohodolls resurgence, after their 00s single ‘Bang Bang Bang Bang’ became an unexpected viral TikTok hit among Gen Z glitterati when Madonna posted a recording of her daughter Estere Ciccone performing her own original choreography to the track. The track rocketed up the Billboard Top 50 and is now sitting on over 200m streams across platforms with the band being inspired to reform and drop a string of tantalising new singles.
Recent Sohodolls releases like ‘Letter To My Ex (Thank You Goodbye)’ and latest single ‘What Kinda Love’ have picked up considerable press & radio attention, including airplay from Nels Hylton on Radio 1’s ‘Future Alternative’, Frank Skinner on Absolute Radio and features with highly regarded music blog Atwood Magazine.
“Mother Wouldn’t Like It” was produced by Tough Love and Maya Von Doll and is the next slice of Sohodolls’ St. Triniansesque naughtiness to help keep some tongue in 2024’s cheek, and we “Like It!”.
We Speak Music
Christian Balvig releases gorgeous new album ‘Find And You Will Seek’ in collaboration with Ensemble Hermes.
Acclaimed composer and arranger Christian Balvig is known for his work with an array of artists and bands like Jade, Efterklang, Lowly, When Saints Go Machine and Mew, as well as his work with some of the most acclaimed orchestras like Royal Northern Sinfonia (BBC Proms), The Royal Danish Orchestra, Copenhagen Phil, London Contemporary Orchestra, The Danish Radio Broadcast Orchestra and The Norwegian Wind Ensemble.
The cinematic sound on his new album might echo Balvig’s work in the world of film and TV music. Scoring the 2025 Oscar shortlisted short movie ‘Eternal Father’ and the Danish hit series ‘Cry Wolf’ (Ulven Kommer), which has been shown on television in more than 30 countries around the globe, including Channel 4 in the UK. He was also nominated for a Harpa award for ‘Best score’ last year at the Berlinale for ‘The Son and the Moon (Min Arv Bor I Dig)’.
Balvig’s new album, ‘Find And You Will Seek’, backed by Danish string group Ensemble Hermes, grew organically out of this background of experiences and is music that appeals to listeners seeking original, immersive music with space for reflection and contemplation.
‘Find And You Will Seek’ is a collection of chamber works that explore the combination of piano and strings in new ways. Recent single ‘The BirdSuite II – Praesentia’ is part of a 3-part Suite running throughout the record, written and performed on a custom made “Keybird” piano, which is an una-corda (one string pr note) piano that gives a more subtle and intimate sound. On top of it is a lush and emotional string ensemble arrangement with Ensemble Hermes in multiple layers fluctuating in and out of the keybird piano.
Balvig’s second single from the record is ‘What Happened To The World’, an ultra transparent neo-classical inspired piece, with slow melodic structures, a simple chord progression and emotional performance starting with a floating viola solo. It is written from the feeling that the world sometimes goes backwards, and you feel left on the platform wanting to take the train in a different direction.
From film music inspired pieces to experimental chamber music over piano concerto inspired movements, to more neo-classical productions with almost orchestral sounding dubs of strings, ‘Find And You Will Seek’ flows with emotions and lush sound worlds, always with a tangible organic texture.
Find Christian Balvig and Ensemble Hermes on tour in Denmark:
27.5 Ansgars Kirke (Odense)
28.5 Folkegaarden Festival (Aalborg)
29.5 Gnisten (Ry)
30.5 Musikhuset (Aarhus)
1.6 Basement (Copenhagen)
-
We Speak Indie Artist1 week agoLong Island’s Next Big Thing: The Chads Are Ready to Unleash
-
We Speak Music6 days agoVÆB arrive with ‘Gimme More’
-
We Speak Music5 days ago
UK’s biggest celebration of African and Caribbean culture Africa Oyé Festival returns for 2026.
-
We Speak Music4 days agoInside MIIA’s Dark, Cinematic New Era