A Chat with SORRY
As you scroll through the comment section under any SORRY music video you will come across countless ‘Why doesn’t this have more views?!’ and ‘Why don’t more people know about these guys?’ and we’re still waiting for these answers. Hailing from Camden, Louis O’Bryen and Asha Lorenz are the childhood pals turned songwriting duo that make up SORRY. If you’ve ever spent a blurry night at the Brixton Windmill or are even marginally plugged into that scene then you’re more than likely to have heard of them before, however given the intricate maturity of their sound and sublime production, the fact that they’re not more widely known is pretty criminal.
They recently shared their brand new EP Twixtustwain, (featuring ‘Cigarette Packet’, a stand-out track for us) which is their first new project since the release of sensational debut album 925 last year. This gem of a record got high praise from all over, including a five-star review from NME, and left fans reeling from the excitement of hearing clean cut versions of songs that had been populating their Soundcloud safari bookmarks for years. The album also made it’s way onto national radio playlists and was added to multiple 2020 round-ups by DIY, Dork, The Guardian and more… but then COVID hit.
We caught up with Asha and spoke about releasing a debut album as a pandemic strikes and what she’s looking forward to as restrictions start to ease.
PHOTOS BY EVA PENTEL
What was your shared musical childhood like? Who was on constant rotation?
Yeah we both liked lots of the same music, lots of classic Beatles, some indie bands, Dionne Warwick, Elliot Smith. During our teens we loved Alex G and Pro Era.
You brought out your debut album just as COVID hit so haven’t been able to play much. How have you managed to garner a reaction to the album? Is a lot of it from social media?
Yes it’s hard to gage how it’s doing because we haven’t played the shows, so haven’t witnessed the energy or what songs people sing along to. But it’s got a bit of nice reception online and nice fans said they liked it so that’s nice.
We love your unique slightly disorientating ‘Sorry’ sound. How did you come to find this sound and what do you think influenced it?
I think it’s a lot from both of making beats/ doing music on computers. That’s where your always making the hookworms. I think there’s always been a darkness and some awkward moments in the songs just because that’s how they came out or that’s how best to put the ideas/ lyrics to them. I think it’s also just how we play and we all know the movements of the songs.
PHOTOS BY EVA PENTEL
In terms of creativity, how has the last year been for you? I think a lot of peopler were either full of beans at the start and have now totally run out or the complete opposite and have only found their beans this year.
I think it’s been hard to be creative at times. Mostly songs sort of come to life when something you’ve been thinking about crosses with an experience and then you can make sense of it. So it’s hard when it’s all monotonous! But I do think it’s created a whole new experience and energy that we couldn’t have imagined so in some ways I’m excited to see what it will bring creatively for everyone!
What have you been listening to and reading recently?
I’ve been reading East of Eden by John Steinbeck and been listening to Yves Tumour, dianne Warwick and R. Stevie Moore.
Rumour has it you’re almost finished on your second album… Can you tell us anything about this?
We’ve finished the writing! But can’t tell you anything else otherwise we would have to kill you, sorry.
Elton John’s ‘SORRY seems to be the hardest word’, ‘SORRY’ by Bieber or ‘SORRY! (I Didn’t Know)’ by Monsta Boy?
925 by SORRY...?
We love ‘Cigarette Packet’ and have seen lots of YouTube comments of excitement after hearing the original on soundcloud way back when. What’s the story with this track? When did you bring the original demo out?
It came out a while ago but we thought it was a bit of bop so just developed it a little bit. We kind of liked that synth line in NY Is Killing Me by Jamie xx & Gill Scott heron.
Where is the first place you ars running to once restrictions are lifted?
Umm the pub!
What do you listen to on the Last Bus home?
It’s too intense to listen to music on the way home for me! Maybe some classical piano like Erik Satie…
