Little Universe

With six members and at least that many instruments to account for, Sodagreen still manages to bring out a very uncluttered, stripped-down sound. There is a wonderfully buoyant quality to Sodagreen's music and the way it free floats in and out of consciousness. Vocalist Qing Feng's distinctive, androgenously alto voice flies between high and low notes. The lyrics flit between atmospheric imagery and pensive abstractions. The songs jump around with a hurried leisure, switching tempos and octaves at will, weaving around lively drum beats, acoustic guitar chords, piano notes, harmonizing vocals, and the occasional smattering of violin and cello. And it is all wrapped together with a soft campus folk sensibility that returns to Sodagreen's college band roots. The indie pop cheeriness, quiet sentiments, and relaxing atmosphere make the band an ideal napping, studying, commuting, working, and musing companion. Which is not to say they can't rock. I recently saw Sodagreen perform at a festival, and they can get the crowd going more than the overtly loud bands.

Title track Little Universe (Track 2), perhaps Sodagreen's most accomplished piece to date, brings together all the elements of their music into a beautifully lyrical tome. Starting with acoustic guitar, clear vocals, and an accelerated melody, the song creates the mood of a congested urban space and transitions to a softer world of open minds. The tempo, octave, instrumentation, and vocal style change completely as we shift between the two worlds, and it is all done simply and seamlessly. Sodagreen accomplishes more with this one song than many artists do with their entire album.

Little Universe is about escaping the bustle and unpleasantries of the city, finding a space in your own way, and Sodagreen's music offers exactly that. When I'm trooping through the subway station at 8:37 a.m. and only a headphone stands between me and the rest of Hong Kong, Sodagreen gives an extra bounce to my step (well, frenzied shuffling). Their lighthearted, uptempo tracks, like the twangy you are you will (Track 1) and the dream-like "Temporarily Out of Control" (Track 5), float above the clamor with jazzy vigor. In the slower pieces, a peaceful, empathizing melancholy reaches out - the sweet and simple "Little Love Song" (Track 3), the almost gospel-like "(Wordless Song)" (Track 11), or the whisperingly raw "City Trapped by Rain" (Track 6), accompanied only by acoustic guitar, quietly resonating with the urban soul.