Sofie Letitre - Sofie Letitre – Bare
Hotly-tipped Dutch singer-songwriter Sofie Letitre returns this summer with the stunning new single ‘Bare’– a taster from her upcoming ‘Uncanny Valley’ EP this Autumn.
Letitre’s 2012 debut album ‘Back Where We Come From’ marked her out as one to watch, with glowing recognition the following year at the 3voor12 Awards – where she was voted ‘Most Promising Artist’. Her work as part of Ladies Of The Lowlands further bolstered her initial reputation as a highly captivating and talented artist.
Now working alongside producer Thijs de Vlieger (one third of the sensational bass & glitch trio Noisia) and erstwhile band colleague Ferdy van der Singel, she has developed an uniquely intense and mysterious sound that finds a sweet spot between dark electronica and alternative indie, which ‘Uncanny Valley’ is set to showcase. This first single ‘Bare’ is a strong yet stunning preview of her new direction, released on de Vlieger and co.’s own Division Recordings.
The initial free download ‘Slip’ allows Letitre to take the limelight, with a slow-burning feel that’s somewhere between Portishead and James Blake. Clever, subtle production helps the track build from an almost ballad-esque feel to an epic, synth-licked crescendo. Download it for free at her SoundCloud page here:
The overall ruggedness of the bass-driven production slowly yields as Letitre’s haunting voice unfolds, leading to skittering percussion and swathes of eerie, reversed synths. Heavily reverbed harmonies provide dramatic interludes, her vocals evolving from moodier territories to more uplifting ones after the ever -changing production takes the notoriety for an energetic instrumental break. Having been fittingly referred to as ‘Massive Attacks Angry Sister’, Letitre’s super delivery and magnetism can also be imagined as something such as Koreless on a dark and glitchy day or a soulfully smooth Bjork.
Jai Tee provides a stunning rework of Bare, with a sleek organic breakbeat percolating away under muted pianos and ethereal pads and vocal manipulation. Steelan’s take on ‘Slip’ is a heavier, low-end driven take on the original that still maintains the balance and contrast of dark, light, power and grace.
