Unmistakably Nordic in flavor, Sofia Talvik somehow still conforms to American interpretations of her own original music, a North Sea siren blending sparkle and melancholy, creating a special niche of folk music.
My annual Xmas single is released and I’ve already gotten some great response to it. It’s funny though how my little pun with the cover and the title seemed to pass people by 🙂 The song is written in a manner that is called “canon” in musical terms. Wiki explains the canon like this: In music, a canon is a contrapuntal composition that employs a melody with one or more imitations of the melody played after a given duration (e.g., quarter rest, one measure, etc.).
But as it sounds just like cannon, I put a little cannon shooting snowflakes on the cover.
Here’s some links to the reviews that’s out so far:
““Santa” has that 80’s music vibe that will make listeners bob their heads unknowingly. Imagine Santa Claus bouncing around with a Mohawk, jean jacket and tight leather pants. It is a cheerful, bubbly and hope-filled piece that will bring positive energy to Talvik’s cause this year.” Read the full review here.
“This year’s single, “Santa (can you bring me someone else this year)”, was just released today, and it’s every bit as good as I expected it to be (which is a relief, because I often worry when my expectations get too high for something). Musically, “Santa” is a fun, synthesizer-based pop song that would not sound out of place on a mid-80s Madonna album. If you’re a fan of songs like “Last Christmas”, this song is a must hear.” Read full review here
Stubby’s House of Christmas wrote in their review:>
“I love this woman. Â And every year Sofia Talvik releases a free Christmas song, so what’s not to love? Â This year’s effort is a fairly uptempo danceable indie track, even if the lyrics are the “I’ve been alone since we split up” type. Â It might be her catchiest yet.” Read the whole review here
Fab Womens Radio has already put “Santa” in rotation and writes on their website: “Highlights? Just about every single track, but why not start with this week’s FEATURED FEMMEP3, a glorious new track from our favorite Swedish singer-songwriter, Sofia Talvik, titled, “Santa”.”
I’m playing a couple of showcases at Indie Week Toronto in October! I had almost given up on going when the Swedish Arts Grants Committee came through and gave me a helping hand! I’m super excited to go, and I really look forward to seeing you all in Toronto! Don’t miss my showcases:
Fri Oct 15 // Cameron House front room // 10.50-11.20 pm
Sat Oct 16 // Drake Underground // 6.00 pm
Sat Oct 16 // Free Times Cafe // 10.15-10.45 pm
Sat Oct 16 // Bread & Cirkus // 01.00 am
USA’s largest indie distributor CD Baby has posted a review of my latest album “Florida”. And they LOVE it. Thanks guys!
It’s not often that an album takes your breath away, and I hate to sound hyperbolic, but “Florida” actually has several “Oh my god!” moments of sheer beauty. Both joyful and melancholic, Sofia’s voice is the star, while perfectly twangy Nashville guitar backed by lush orchestrations, loping drums, and occasional electronic elements propel the songs along gently.While not sounding exactly like any one artist, this album… calls to mind everything from classic Nancy Sinatra to Belle & Sebastian to Rufus Wainwright. The references to the American south are plentiful and it’s fascinating to hear how the music of the region gets filtered through her Scandinavian sensibilities. Finally and equally noteworthy is the stellar production of the album, which is done entirely by Sofia herself. It’s a wonderfully effervescent album, and I know I’ll be listening to it a lot this summer.
I got a mail today from CD Baby, the largest indie-distributor in the U.S. They LOVE the Jonestown CD and are putting it on their “Haunting, Fractured Folk Pop collection” playlist.
This is what they said about the album: “The CD Baby editorial staff hears hundreds of albums every day and we love your “SOFIA TALVIK: Jonestown” CD so much we’re going to include it in our upcoming Haunting, Fractured Folk Pop collection which will be featured on cdbaby.com for one week beginning on Wednesday, December 31st 2008.”