Sonna

Formed in Baltimore, Maryland, during 1998, the indie rock group Sonna began as a trio consisting of guitarist/vocalist Chris Mackie, drummer/guitarist Jim Redd, and bassist Paul Petersan. Guitarist Jeremy DeVine, founder of the Temporary Residence label back in 1996, came aboard shortly afterward. Although instrumental pieces dominated their output and frequently led to post-rock classification, the band retained a strong melodic focus alongside their taste for experimentation and intricate yet understated arrangements.

Their first release arrived in 1999 as the three-song EP These Windows Are Pistons, paired with a split 7" single alongside Paul Newman that featured both acts interpreting the track “Way to Breathe No Breath.” By 2000 the lineup had shifted when Drew Nelson replaced Petersan, who had moved to Texas; the revised Sonna then supplied The Eventual Bow to Temporary Residence’s Travels in Constants EP series and issued the 7" single Kept Luminesce/Mirameko on Static Caravan. Steve Albini captured their debut album We Sing Loud Sing Soft Tonight at Electrical Audio Studios, and the record appeared in 2001 to widespread critical praise.

Temporary Residence brought the previously out-of-print Static Caravan 7" back as a CD in 2002 while the collaborative EP Make Shift Carousel surfaced the same year. For that project, Sonna supplied raw acoustic recordings that electronic artists Sybarite and Lilienthal subsequently remixed and expanded. Extensive touring followed, with shared bills alongside Bonnie “Prince” Billy, Tarentel (for whom Redd also performed), and Explosions in the Sky. DeVine simultaneously served as touring guitarist for the English band Fridge. Early 2003 saw the release of the Albini-recorded Smile and the World Smiles with You. With DeVine now based in Portland and Redd in San Francisco, half the members had left Baltimore and the group entered a period of inactivity. All non-album tracks except Make Shift Carousel were later gathered on the 2016 double-LP Keep It Together.