SONS

‘Hallo’

We all recognize the moment as Spring begins to nudge the Winter aside. As the deep grey reluctantly gives way to the light. The hibernating husk is ready once again to burst into full bloom. Birds start singing their songs. There’s anticipation in the air. What does all this have to do with SONS? Everything. With ‘Hallo’, the Belgian four-piece enters 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. Of lives lived and experience knocking on your door. “Hello, we are SONS!”

SONS still relentlessly torment their instruments – just check out the furious title track – but what makes ‘Hallo’ different from the previous two albums (2019’s ‘Family Dinner’ and 2022’s ‘Sweet Boy’) 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, Beyoncé and Depeche Mode amongst others. McCracken loved the band’s new demos and after having made several trips to the band’s hometown of Melsele (a small town near Antwerp known for its annual Miss Strawberry competition) to help whip the songs into shape, he invited the band to record in London.

"SONS greedily feasted on McCracken’s skills and knowledge, as heard on the infectiously danceable first single ‘Do My Thing.’ While he instinctively knew to preserve the jagged edges of ‘Big Mouth,’ his vast experience also helped refine SONS’ signature tense sound, adding lush alt-rock guitar atmospherics to songs like ‘Somehow.’"

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.”

And nowhere is this hunger and commitment to a new musical path more evident than on ‘Once and for All’, a slow, hypnotic and brooding track—a definite highlight of the album.

As for the subject matter on ‘Hello’, SONS continue to find inspiration in everyday life and in how we allow ourselves to be held hostage by the hustle and bustle of modern existence. They explore the struggle with social media and unrealistic beauty standards, the constant pressure to always be reachable, as well as universal themes like friendship and the importance of maintaining a positive outlook on life.

Their debut album ‘Family Dinner’ saw SONS touring Benelux and supporting Royal Blood and Wolfmother. The follow-up ‘Sweet Boy’ not only saw them grace the stages of Pinkpop, Pukkelpop, Down The Rabbit Hole, Into The Great Wide Open, Reeperbahn, Trans Musicales, Iceland Airwaves and the famed Belgian festival Rock Werchter line-up for 2 consecutive years, they also began to reach out internationally and included very successful shows in France, Germany, Greece and Switzerland to the tour itinerary. And they got invited to support Jack White. With ‘Hallo,’ SONS will undoubtedly be banging on more doors and turning more heads, both at home and abroad.