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Mar 26, 2020 Web Exclusive By Andy Von Pip

Based around the creative nucleus of best friends Asha Lorenz and Louis O’Bryen, Sorry have steadily been gaining a reputation as one of the most innovative new artists to emerge from the flourishing London underground scene in recent years. They first grabbed attention when they began releasing lo-fi demos and mixtapes, which revealed the duo to be not only prolific songwriters but also having an innate ability to create genre traversing experimental cinematic pop music. “We just like putting out lots of music,” Lorenz explains in the band’s bio. “We don’t have a definitive style so we find it easy to be prolific and move on.”

Their debut album 925 sees the band consolidate their nascent talent and vision into something a little more cohesive without sacrificing their unconventional, forward-looking approach to creating music. Working alongside producer James Dring, Sorry have crafted a dazzling debut album, one which seems to perfectly capture the current Millennial zeitgeist. They’ve astutely fused a variety of disparate styles whilst creating a sound that is uniquely very much their own.

Opening with last year’s massive tune the hypnotic throbbing “Right Around the Clock,” Sorry sound confident, sure-footed, and all set for vertical takeoff. It’s wonky disorientating pop of the highest calibre that gives a knowing nod to the Tears For Fears classic “Mad World”—“I’m feeling kind of crazy I’m feeling kind of mad/The dreams in which we’re famous /Are the best I’ve ever had”—and adds “The futures bright/Or barely there.” This is something Sorry pull off brilliantly, for every silver lining there first must be a cloud, as they simultaneously communicate hope, euphoria and ennui perfectly. And it’s often done with a subtle wink and a tongue firmly planted in their cheek.

The ghostly dystopian doom pop of “In Union”—with lyrics such as “Everybody dreams alone/On their own/Privately/In Unison/They fall asleep/And drop like flies/And makes ends meat/And it makes me cry”—feels like the presage to an apocalypse and has more than a hint of Philip K. Dick about it. Previous release, the sublime “Starstruck,” is mesmerizing and mixes driving beats with coruscating guitar riffs as O’Bryen and Lorenz’s deadpan vocals combine to relay a stream of consciousness laced with insouciance and a wry sense of humour. “Perfect” lives up to its title with a Weezer-in-their-prime style guitar riff and lyrics that reflect the conflicting emotions in relationships—“It’s your choice/You know where the door is/Do you know I adore you /Just know I adore you.”

“Heather” starts off sounding like a slightly twee indie-pop tune before morphing into a playful waltzing modern-day show tune. The throbbing electronica of “More” demonstrates Sorry’s inherent ability to traverse and mash up genres. 925 is a stunning album replete with soaring guitar licks, propulsive electronica, driving dance beats, and reflective tales of love, lust, and vulnerability illuminated by sleazy neon lights.

925 retains all the elements that have previously made Sorry such an intriguing and compelling proposition whilst adding a new sheen to their sound. It’s a thrilling and thoroughly modern album that manages to be experimental, dangerous, swaggering, unique, and also hugely accessible. (www.sorryband.co.uk)

Author rating: 8.5/10