(PIAS) Belgian powerhouse, SONS today announce their new album Hallo - out September 26 via [PIAS] Recordings. With the follow up to Sweet Boy, the four-piece enter a new era, one in which their explosive garage-rock gives way to songs that now also shine and sparkle. Hallo is the sound of youth unleashed. "Hello, we are SONS!"
SONS still relentlessly beat their instruments but what sets Hallo apart from previous releases is a certain joie de vivre that has crept in. By looking deeper into themselves, they have discovered that not every message needs to be accompanied by a fist on the table. A tap on the shoulder and a telling glance can sometimes be more effective.
The talisman for this fresh, musical, but still sharp and powerful sound: producer David McCracken. Also known for shaping the sexy groove of dEUS classic The Architect, the British producer has an impressive resume having worked with Stone Roses' frontman Ian Brown, A$AP Rocky, Beyonce and Depeche Mode amongst others. McCracken loved the band's new demos and made several trips to the band's hometown of Melsele to help whip the songs into shape. The band then decamped to London to record the album.
SONS utilized the skills and knowledge McCracken brought to the fore as can be heard on the infectiously danceable first single "Do My Thing", which amassed over 300 radio plays in Belgium, climbed to the top 5 of leading radio Studio Brussels listeners chart De Afrekening and got support in The Netherlands, Germany, France and Eastern Europe.
Working with McCracken proved to be a perfect match for SONS. "He took us completely out of our comfort zone," says singer/guitarist Robin Borghgraef. "His way of working was very straightforward, and he constantly asked us - and certainly me as a singer - the question, 'What do you want to say?' That approach made us start thinking more deeply about what we wanted for this record. And, unlike previous albums, the lyrics on 'Hello' received much more attention. More than once, the lyric served as the foundation of a song, whereas before we took a different approach: make up riffs, figure out a song and add lyrics. This new approach added depth to the album."
As for the subject matter on Hallo, SONS continues to find inspiration in everyday life and in the way we allow ourselves to be held hostage to hustle and bustle of things. Furious title track "Hello" is about the constant accessibility and love/hate relationship with social media, where everyone follows each other blindly. "This song set the tone for the sound of the whole album", Robin explains, "So here we say 'Hello' to everyone who knows us or doesn't know us yet. Welcome to our latest record."
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