Los Angeles-based 3-man, three woman sextet Sonos are part of UCLA's wildly proliferating a cappella scene, debuting in December of 2008 at the Hotel Cafe with an "intimate, yet scorching performance...brimming with fiery fervor, major dynamics and sexual tension," according to Deli Magazine. Sonos aims to turn the a cappella genre on its head, with bold reinterpretations of artists who inspire them, Radiohead ("Everything in Its Right Place"), Sara Bareilles (also a UCLA alum who joins Sonos on her "Gravity"), Fleet Foxes ("White Winter Hymnal"), Bon Iver ("Re:Stacks"), Rufus Wainwright ("Oh What A World"), Bjork ("Joga") and Imogen Heap ("Come Here Boy"). They also reinvent the Jackson 5's "I Want You Back" with a hip-hop rendition, and have a soulful take on Depeche Mode's "Enjoy the Silence." Sonos has a wonderfully sophisticated, sweetly harmonic sound that lends itself well to these innovative, often surprising arrangements. Let us be clear, Sonos is an a cappella force to be reckoned with, especially with the rise of a cappella in Hollywood to the mainstream with groups like Harmony Sweeps champs Moira Smiley and VOCO, and hit series like "Glee." An impressive debut release! |
