Gritted Teeth
Martini - Sofia Bolt (Newer Music Friday)
I’m a big fan of unique instruments in modern songs. You may be able to tell this through some of my past reviews where I obsess over sleigh bells, wood blocks, or other things that seem pretty small in the grand scheme of a song, yet always make it ten times better for me. Well, I’m happy to report that Sofia Bolt’s new single “Martini” is chock-full of these rare elements, with violin, saxophone, flute, and my personal favorite, harpsichord (!!) elevating an already great song to even greater status.
“Martini” makes me want to put on one of those powdered wigs (think Mozart), yet also makes me want to listen to it in the car and think about everything under the sun. By that I mean it perfectly folds in classical elements into an otherwise modern tune, something that I think is really cool. The track has a repetitive structure that makes it perfect to ponder to, the sort of song that can live in the back of your mind and keep you company. Case in point, I’ve listened to this one on repeat for a couple hours now, and I still love it just as much as I did the first time around!
The song begins like a dream, with a gentle flute layered over a repeating harpsichord pattern. Reminds me a little of the opening to Leon Russell’s “This Masquerade”, something I admire very much. I’d say the moment the greatness of the song becomes clear is as soon as the vocals and drums come in as well. The drums have this hesitant feel to them, a beat that alternates between strong and soft, the type of control that can really change a song with expression alone. The vocals are steady and airy, a cool combination with the suspicion the lyrics convey. Then you get to the beginning of the chorus, where I was absolutely sure this song was a hit. I’m a sucker for harmonies, especially clashy ones. Well here we have an out of this world combo of clashy and subtle harmonies, with the slightest slide of a drop that adds so much to a small moment. The end is where the vocals are layered to convey a sort of flitting panic, and this is where I love the addition of staccato saxophone embellishments, ala the David Bowie of Blackstar. It helps ground the song for it to end strong… so strong in fact that you’ll be rewinding within a second guaranteed!
“Martini” is a song that has a quiet power to it, a gritted teeth sort of feeling that fits with a myriad of emotions. It expresses heartbreak, desperation, panic and more in a way that is subtle and almost addictive to listen to. If the rest of her forthcoming album Vendredi Minuit (Out May 10th) is anything like “Martini”, I’d say the world is in good hands with Sofia Bolt.
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