What a wonderfully positive experience it was to review Sonic Delusion's new album Anything Goes. 10 tracks of splendidly good tunes that make you feel good, with catchy grooves and upbeat rhythms, the music is best described as a kind of funky folk pop but with extra fizz, and sparkle, that is so easy to enjoy. The work of Andre Manella a NZ/Swiss musician, Anything Goes delivers a strong and stirring collection of songs that surprise and delight in unique ways that is so nice to hear.
Here is a little run down of each track.
Anything Goes: A delightfully sparkly tune that supplies that feel good factor x 2.
Mamma Please: Delivered with a funky groove that makes you move, with upbeat reggae rhythms.
All Good Things: A lovely guitar leads you along to a pop up chorus jingle with lyrics that match its positive premise and its upbeat feel.
Running: Energetic, upbeat and full of positivity and a promise that it will lead the listener to a better place, which it does.
Hey Trouble: This song builds its groove so well that if you’re not careful, you will be bouncing around the room!
This is What I Want to Do: A strong vocal performance that chants its catchy chorus with harmonious beauty and power.
Have you Ever: A rhythmically charming acoustic folk song speckled with funky guitar licks.
I See Light: The stirring almost hymn like choral intro gets you hooked, then your shown the light of the upbeat chorus arrangements - this track is very uplifting.
Do and Die: Folk and funk meet and delight in this sturdy tune full of rousing vocal melodies.
Moments in Time: Melody and power are presented in measured power and melodious nurture, especially in the vocals.
They say, "if it feels good, do it", and I say have a listen to Anything Goes by Sonic Delusion, because it sure does feel good when you do.
Sonic Delusion, the New Zealand-based Swiss-Kiwi is one of the original one man banders, having been looping for over ten years and still digging the challenge of building up a song in front of a live audience with his latin-infused, pop-laced, funky, electroacoustic folk. A vibrant, high-energy performer, Sonic Delusion (Andre Manella) blends dynamic layers of rhythm, tones, bass lines and vocals, carving out his unapologetically ambitious and intriguingly experimental sound.
He loves to exploit his too funky for folk and too folky for funk signature style, well known to bring a live crowd to rapturous atmospheric joy. Stoking the groove with funky bass or beats that really get the audience going, Sonic Delusion’s uniquely upbeat, a bit tongue-in-cheek, and bursting with more funk than folk can handle, is irresistible.
Sonic Delusion kicked off his touring career in 2013 with an epic 9-month, 70-venue tour of New Zealand, and now has over 500 gigs in New Zealand, Australia, Switzerland and Germany, including several international festivals. Renowned for his unorthodox gig venues, having played concerts from a purpose-built stage on the roof of his family’s housebus, a shop roof, a lake, and multiple gigs in lounges around the country.