Raina Sokolov-Gonzalez – If They’re Mine 
Release Date: Out Now
At just seven tracks and half an
hour long, this latest long-player from New York based Raina Sokolov-Gonzalez
is small but it is, of course, perfectly formed. Sokolov-Gonzalez is one of my
favourite finds of 2021 due to recent singles but a decent album is always the
litmus test. The collection opens with ‘Better Half’, a song that flickers in
to life like a poorly wired lightbulb until a strong and steady organ melody
joins in and we’re illuminated by Massive Attack-esque vibes paired with
Sokolov-Gonzalez’s incredibly unique Jazz-Soul vocal. ‘One Day’ follows on with
that same organ sound and vocal combination but this time things are slowed
down and more intimate which feels like a rare and special treat just for the
listener.
The skipping and playful melody
on ‘The Bear’ makes me want to walk through a sunny neighbourhood in the New
York springtime as the likes of Feist, Kimbra and Regina Spektor are brought to
mind. On ‘Open Fire’ there is a flicker fire at the centre of the ambience as
that sumptuous voice swirls around you like smoke in the gentle evening breeze.
Next, recent single ’40 Days’ builds the tension and friction in both a sexual
but also angry way that is fundamental to the energy and intoxicating joy of
Sokolov-Gonzalez’s music.
‘Better For You’ was the track
that first hooked me into this music and it still sounds fresh, enthralling and
incredibly relevant within this collection of tunes. The album closes out on
the title track, ‘If They’re Mine’, a track that puts the vocals front and
centre as the instrumentation swirls and cavorts around it like a dancing gymnast
in full flow. Raina Sokolov-Gonzalez is an amazing vocalist, songwriter and
musician but more than that (as if that weren’t enough) she is an artist and a
performer which comes through so clearly in her recorded music that a live show
must be a thoroughly all-encompassing and exhilarating experience.
More information: https://www.facebook.com/rainasokogonz