The Sonic Dawn: Into The Long Night 2017 + Eclipse 2019

 

Formed in 2013 by childhood friends Emil Bureau, Jonas Waaben, and Niels ‘Bird’ Fuglede, the trio

has delivered four albums, celebrated for their dynamic fusion of genres from sitar pop to heavy psych. Their highly anticipated fifth LP is slated for release this spring via Heavy Psych Sounds.
                   

The Sonic Dawn is a psychedelic rock band, based in Copenhagen, Denmark. They are known as a

prolific live act, having toured the European continent numerous times, and have released four full-length albums internationally. The Sonic Dawn describe their sound as "a psychedelic mixture of styles, from jazzy sitar pop to heavy acid rock." They have recently appeared alongside artists such as Graveyard and Brant Bjork.
                      

In 2015, The Sonic Dawn expanded to Europe, with tour dates abroad in Germany, France, The Netherlands, Norway and Sweden. Via these touring efforts The Sonic Dawn landed their first

international record deal with German Nasoni Records, known for releasing Colour Haze among others, who released Perception on 31 October 2015. Musically, the album can be described as a mix of rock and blues songwriting, with a psychedelic sound. It prominently features the Swedish organist Erik 'Errka' Petersson on keys, a studio collaboration that continued on the group's next album as well.
                 

While Perception did not gain the interest of mainstream media, it established The Sonic Dawn as a

name in the underground, one such critic speculating that The Sonic Dawn might be "the next big band of the current retro rock wave" (Eclipsed Rock Magazine, March 2016). Nasoni printed two limited editions of the LP on colored vinyl, which are both sold out. A remastered audiophile edition, cut at Abbey Road Studios in London, was released in late 2017.
                  

The debut album, Perception (2015), marked their international breakthrough with Berlin-based Nasoni

Records. The sophomore release, Into the Long Night (2017), launched on Heavy Psych Sounds, accompanied by an extensive European album tour—some 60 shows, including two weeks with Brant Bjork (US)—solidifying their presence. The subsequent album, Eclipse (2019), earned acclaim as "easily one of the best psychedelic pop albums of the decade," and once again the group hit the road hard, playing in 11 different countries.
               

On 1 February 2019, The Sonic Dawn's third album, Eclipse, was released on Heavy Psych Sounds Records. Their biggest work to date, with the album's 13 tracks picked among over 40 candidates, according to the group itself. Reviewers called it "one of the best psychedelic pop albums of the

decade" and "The Sonic Dawn’s preliminary masterpiece". The album was recorded to tape at The Village Recording in Copenhagen with producer, Thomas Vang, known for his work with Roger Waters. The album singles Forever 1969 and Psychedelic Ranger received moderate national airplay across Europe. The Sonic Dawn toured Europe for five weeks in the spring 2019 and has announced two weeks of fall/winter tour, in support of Eclipse.
              

In 2020, The Sonic Dawn unveiled Enter the Mirage, recognized as "a modern psych classic" by

Shindig Magazine. While the planned album tour was cut short, it was possible to play on WDR’s legendary TV show Rockpalast, which has featured David Bowie, the Grateful Dead, and many more through the years.
                   

Now, their highly anticipated fifth album, Phantom (2024), is set for a worldwide release on May 10th, 2024. Formally welcoming long-time collaborator Erik ‘Errka’ Petersson as a new studio band member

on organ/keys, The Sonic Dawn continues its sonic journey. Culminating from four years of creating music, the album showcases a raw and heavy musical style blended with the melodic psychedelia for which the band is renowned. The band is gearing up for an extensive European tour in 2024-2025, promising a further development of their mind-altering exploration.
                         

DISCOGRAPHY

Down the Line b/w "Blue Jay" (7-inch split with The Roaring 420s). Levitation Records, 2014.
Perception (CD/LP). Nasoni Records, 2015.
Into the Long Night (CD/LP). Heavy Psych Sounds, 2017.
Eclipse (CD/LP). Heavy Psych Sounds, 2019.
Enter the Mirage (CD/LP). Heavy Psych Sounds, 2020.

THE SONIC DAWN - INTO THE LONG NIGHT 2017

                

2nd album from Danish psychedelic rock trio who move through 60s style retro garage-psych, trippy laid-back & bluesy wah-wah riffs, flowing prog-rock keyboards, jazzy acid-folk grooves, and West Coast hippy pop. Periodically recalls bands like Quicksilver Messenger Service, Climax Blues Band,

The Beginner’s Mynd, The Doors, The Byrds, Cream, Moby Grape. “Into the Long Night” faithfully recreates a 60s San Francisco vibe of wafting bong smoke, free love & leather-fringed vests, and glassy-eyed blissed-out grins. Recommended for 60s revivalist rockers. A heaping handful of west coast psychedelia, touch of Hendrix, pinch of Cream, a full serving of awesomeness! Your daily recommended allowance of guitar, bass and drums. They baked this one just right, this recipe is a true masterpiece.

                

The Sonic Dawn – Into The Long Night
Label: Heavy Psych Sounds – HPS053
Format: CD, Album
Country: Italy
Released: Apr 21, 2017
Genre: Rock
Style: Psychedelic Rock

TRAXS

01. Intro   00:33
02. Emily Lemon   04:54
03. On The Shore   03: 56
04. As Of Lately   02:45
05. Six Seven   05:07
06. Numbers Blue   04:26
07. Lights Left On   03:08
08. l'Espion   04:15
09. Summer Voyage   07:17

LINE - UP

Emil Bureau - Vocals, Guitar, Sitar, Recorder;
Jonas Waaben - Drums, Perc., Backing Vocals;
Niels 'Bird' Fuglede - Bass Guitar.

FEATURING:

Erik 'Errka' Petersson - Keys;
Morten Grønvad - Vibraphone, Perc.

FLAC

THE SONIC DAWN - ECLIPSE 2019

               

The Danish psych-pop combo's third studio long-player Eclipse wastes no time delivering its mission

statement via the willfully '60s-fetish. Frontman Emil Bureau may not have the dark charisma of Jim Morrison or the stately, distinctive croon of Jack Bruce (his warbly tenor actually hews closer to American Beauty-era Jerry Garcia), but he and childhood friends Jonas Waaben (drums) and Niels Fuglede (bass) have managed to evoke the hazy, smoke-stained patina of the era, specifically the aural emissions of the California counterculture scene, without resorting to 15-minute exploratory guitar solos or the use of a gong. By keeping things on the perfunctory end of the classic rock spectrum, Sonic Dawn's bluesy blend of grimy, neo-psychedelia and pastoral, Laurel Canyon-esque acid-folk feels a little less contrived and more in line with the flower power movement's early predilection for singles.

Still, it can be hard to separate the actual songs from the source material, especially since the band has gone to such pains to emulate the recording process of their heroes. "The Stranger," with its immersive, melancholic main melody (a bit of a dead ringer for Chris Isaak's "Wicked Game"), the lovely and ramshackle, jazz kit-led "Opening Night," and the summer of love-worthy "Circle of Things" all have their merits, but like the band itself, they're hopelessly trapped in amber.

             

The Sonic Dawn – Eclipse
Label: Heavy Psych Sounds – HPS090CD
Format: CD, Album
Country: Italy
Released: 2019
Genre: Rock
Style: Psychedelic Rock

TRAXS

01. Forever 1969
02. Psychedelic Ranger
03. The Stranger
04. No Chaser
05. Opening Night
06. Circle Of Things
07. On The Edge Of Our Time
08. Christiania
09. The Last Page
10. Love Bird
11. To Change Who We Are
12. Islands In Time
13. Towards The End

LINE - UP

               

                 
Bass Guitar – Niels Bird Fuglede
Drums, Backing Vocals, Percussion – Jonas Waaben
Maracas, Performer [Featuring] – Uffe Lorenzen (tracks: A1)
Mellotron, Organ, Electric Piano, Performer [Featuring] – Errka Petersson
Vocals, Guitar, Organ, Bells – Emil Bureau

FLAC