Written by Maria Arroyo
Alternative rock trio, SOFIA, shares their debut EP, Stories For The Sleepless, out now. Born in Brazil and now based in LA, the trio continues to push the boundaries of their own musical abilities. Sharing their stories are vocalist and bassist Leo Bomeny, guitarist Alex Novaes, and drummer Bruno Lamas.
Stories For The Sleepless takes listeners on a journey around “in and out of subconscious much like childhood tales, fables, and fantasies do. Regardless if we only hear them once or on repeat countless times, they leave lasting resonances…” which is exactly what SOFIA is empowered to accomplish.
“We all grew up on bedtime stories, old fairytales, science fiction, and fantasy,” Bomeny shares. “When you read a book as a kid, you relate to the characters and feel less alone. You realize others have the same feelings, thoughts, and fears you do. We try to build a community. Hopefully, you can be at peace when it comes time to go to sleep and dream because no one can touch you there—and we’re the soundtrack.”
Their lead single “Coconut” creates this mesmerizing balance between the verses and chorus in terms of meaning, and in the instrumentation. The harmonies are enticing and keep you locked in for the rest of the song.
There’s also a neat sense of these polar opposites, particularly in the lyric: “I’m out of my mind, I’m so confused, but if my devil inside loves the angel in you, I’m happy…” SOFIA shares that this is a song of acceptance. “You become happy with the little things. You find joy in the madness and the chaos of two complex, emotional, and different people. It’s about being at peace with whoever you’re with.” This, paired with the build-up of intensity and anticipation in the bridge, to an explosion of an ending.
Creating a more intimate atmosphere is their song “Closer.” The story that they tell through the lyrics is captivating from beginning to end. The construction of the melodies are grounded and easy to catch onto, and again, the buildup of instrumentation to create immense tension is done very well. Another song that has a message that really resonates with me is “Idontwannafuckthisup” because it’s saturated in raw and intense emotion. Coupled with such a strong musical idea, this song could really turn some heads.
The highlight of the EP is their single “Sad,” which I could mentally and emotionally step into. “It’s a story of someone frustrated because they see their partners’ self-destructive habits and can’t do anything about it,” Bomeny says.
Having been on both sides of the situation, I know that feeling of trying to help the destructor and creating the destruction myself. There’s this newfound appreciation that I have for the people in my life that continue to push me every day to practice healthy habits and to be happy, and this song reminds me of how fortunate I am to have people like that because unfortunately, there are too many people that don’t have it.
The song “Stranger” closes out Stories For The Sleepless. “One day at the end of a relationship, you wake up,” Bomeny explains. “You’re still the same, but your partner is a stranger to you now. Things were so one-sided. None of the promises at the beginning of the relationship were fulfilled. This isn’t the person you were familiar with. It’s a stranger.” While the message isn’t one rooted in hope and a happy resolution, it’s still an important experience to touch upon. This particular story is strongly rooted through the intensity filled soulful vocals, along with the intentional movement throughout the instrumentation.
It’s creations like Stories For The Sleepless that remind me how much I appreciate being able to hear all of this new music that I would have never been exposed to otherwise. It gives me new perspectives on simple ideas, and even the more complex ones as well.
One thing that SOFIA agrees on is that the creation of this EP is rooted in “taking snippets of real relationships and infusing them into the songs.” While they share their own interpretations of these typical relationships, they create in a way that invites others into their world, and I think that is a truly remarkable thing.
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