As COVID-19 shut down live music, Saroea started recording in their label YAP Records' studio YAP HQ in Bergen (Norway) with DATAROCK drummer ÿyvind Solheim helping out engineering & co-producing. The 12 songs jammed in on the 28 minute long album was also mixed by Solheim & Saroea at YAP HQ, and then shipped to UK's legend Mike Marsh (Bjˆrk, Massive Attack, Oasis, DATAROCK) for mastering. The solo album Rona Diaries was inspired by everything from post-rock (like The Sea and Cake) via hard-core (like Fugazi), noise-rock (like U.S. Maple), space-rock (like Flying Saucer Attack), art-rock (like Blonde Redhead) to Morrissey's indie-classics, Sun Kil Moon's lyrical songwriting, John Martyn's etheric "Small Hours" and Scott Walker's ballads.
The Release concert took place on May 28th 2021 with an internationally streamed concert in Norway's stately Grieg Hall famous for the most iconic true Norwegian black metal recordings. Here, Saroea was backed by award-winning string quartet BIT20 Ensemble (Martin Shultz on violin, Liene Klava on viola, Agnese Rugevica on cello, Johannes Wik on harp with arrangements by Bj¯rn Morten Christophersen), merging his contemplative indie rock with the exquisite air of a chamber orchestra.
Thus, the tracks from Rona Diaries were premiered to an unsuspecting public who were more familiar with his former bands rhythmic brand of dance music.
The Chamber Versions: 1. Im a Rock 2. Battered & Bruised 3. Bulletproof Vest 4. The End 5. A Matter of Dying 6. Bergheim 7. Understatement Love Song 8. Stray Cats 9. Dragging You Down 10. The Family You Got to Choose 11. Feather in the Cap 12. Heaven Knows Those Songs Werent Heaven Sent Rona Diaries: 1. Im a Rock 2. Battered & Bruised 3. Bulletproof Vest 4. The End 5. A Matter of Dying 6. Bergheim 7. Understatement Love Song 8. Stray Cats 9. Dragging You Down 10. The Family You Got to Choose 11. Feather in the Cap 12. Heaven Knows Those Songs Werent Heaven Sent
- Genre: Classical
- Handling Time Note: ** Please allow an additional 72 business hours for this item's shipment. **
- Format: Vinyl
- Released: 9/23/22
- Format Detail: LP
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