19 October 2023

Photo by @vanessarusso

S O R O R is a versatile pop act from Bruxelles founded 5 years ago by
soulsisters Alice Ably (vocals) and Sophie Chiaramont (bass/vocals). Last month
they launched their new first-born album related to a new born baby within
the band.

NEW BORN is a versatile record mixing dream pop, guitar pop, trip-hop, funky-bluesy
and jazzy pop. Different vibes for different moods. An ideal longplayer for shadowy winter nights celebrating new life and new music in a relaxing atmosphere.

We invited soulful voice Alice to tell us more about the album. But first, as usual,
we start an interview with a slice of music. Shake your hips to New Born‘s opening
track Copy Of You.

When and how did S O R O R got together?

“Soror was formed after I met Sophie (note: bass/vocals) at café Central in Brussels
5 years ago, we immediately got along and decided to make music together.”

What’s the story behind the band’s name?

“We both come from families with lots of sisters and both had launched
online vintage clothing startups called Sister’s Vintage, and SIXSOEURS
that we had created with our sisters.

When we had to choose our name it directly came to us as self evident.
And it keeps on getting more and more sense as we carry on with this band
because our connection as soulmates gets stronger and also we found strength
and ground identifying with the notion of solidarity between women: sorority.

Which track would you play to
people who never heard of you?

“NEW BORN”.

It took more than 5 years to record/release
your debut album? Was that the plan?

“We released our first EP in 2020, mixed by Koen Gisen, which unfortunately
came out 3 days before Covid lock down. That was not the plan and I had
a baby!”

.

The album is titled NEW BORN. Who or what is new born?

“New Born is our first album and also my first child. The album is named
after the song, New Born, in which the lyrics and the music describe step
by step the long process of delivery.

Obviously, that song works as a metaphor for
the laborious process of making an album.”

What do you want to express with the album’s
impressive artwork and who designed it?

“We chose to use a child’s drawings to express the infantine dimension of New
Born. Sophie’s niece is a very good drawer and she has a particular style that
matched perfectly with our idea.

We wanted something both dark and colorful to reflect our contradictory civilization
and generation. Anxiety/hope, peace/war, cities/ecology, nature/technology.”

Which music/artists inspired the band
when writing/making the record.

“Portishead and Radiohead.”

Were all four of you involved in the writing process?

“Yes! Sophie usually brings a new idea she shares with me. We make a quick
version of a track together and then we develop with Thibaut and Theo in order
to make the entire song all together.”

Do all songs are in some way connected or do they all stand on their own?

“We love to write and think all songs different cause it’s important for us to give
to our listener the feeling that he/she would leave for a trip where he/she could
be able to see all kinds of images through our songs.

However, several songs address the same topic and emotion that are related to
our struggles in our relationships and the ordeals of our modern societies.

Soundwise, we wanted the album to stand out as one consistent piece with
specific aesthetics, somewhere between vintage American melancholia and
Bristol trip-hop.”

Latest single BOHEMIAN PARADISE has a sweet trippy vibe that
reminds of all-female outfit WARPAINT. What’s the song about
AWAKENING and where was the video shot

“The video was shot in Studio City Gate in Brussels which is a shared artistic
area with ateliers and studios. We wanted to shoot there before the place gets
reduced to rubbles and replaced with white modern soulless buildings.

We love that spot and we thought it would be a way to immortalize it. The song
tells the same idea.. it talks about a wonderful trip to a place called Bohemian
Paradise until all falls apart and turns evil.”

Suppose the album would be the soundtrack
for a movie, which one would it be?

“A Tarantino movie? (laugh).”

What’s the band ultimate goal?

“To have a song in a movie.” 😀

Thank you for the interview, Alice.
May the road rise with S O R O R .

STREAM/BUY NEW BORN

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On Spotify.

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S O R O R: Instagram – Facebook