It starts with the sound of distorted trumpets. The horns – cutting in and out with a crackling effect – collapse into a rattlesnake snare. Then, the groovy baseline. Finally, Sonia Bernardo begins to sing. What follows is panic prayers, the three-track EP from the London-based singer, songwriter, and producer who goes simply by Bernardo. Calling it now: You’re going to want to remember that name.

“Wiser,” the opening track of the project, reveals the versatility of Bernardo and her band. At-times beachy, then reggae-like, and even transitioning into a jazzy interlude midway through, the opening track exposes Bernardo and her backing band’s capacity to act as a jam band. Don’t let that term fool you– there’s nothing casual about the sound that they’re creating. It’s focused chaos, with a cacophony of keys, brass, and a groovy baseline. “Wiser” is a euphoric start to a sonically eclectic album.

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“Genius Level II” is a shift. With darker undertones and a nightclub-like feel that wouldn’t seem out of place on a Norah Jones album, the second track finds Bernardo a bit more conniving. Here, her lyrical sensibilities are perhaps given their biggest spotlight. She sings, “When all is said and done / We never get the kiss we want / We’re better off than overdue / This is Genius Level II” The accompanying video – an arty ditty that features the singer-songwriter burning incense and playing air guitar in a dimly lit apartment that ends up literally going up in flames – fully proves that Bernardo has the coolness factor. As the track comes to a close, a raucous guitar solo transitions to a quiet conclusion: Suddenly, it’s just Bernardo and a guitar.

This mood melts well into final track “S.H.M.,” which is a return to the basic girl-and-her-guitar sound like Bernardo has built her reputation on thus far. A stark contrast to the rest of this record, the sparse song features just a grimy, guttural guitars and the artist’s soulful voice. Even without all the literal bells and whistles, “S.H.M.” is undoubtedly the strongest song on the album. Bernardo builds upon the lyrical themes of failed relationships and remorse, singing, “It’s not pretty, but it’s the truth / You signed your heart / I acted cool / It’s all you’ve come to regret.” It’s a head-nodding, finger-snapping finish to a fully stuffed EP.

On a project filled with such a wide range of sounds, it’s important that there is one through-line that keeps the project cemented together. Here, it’s most certainly Bernardo‘s vocals that serve as the glue. While technically flawless, the raw emotion in her voice is what makes her performance consistently awe-inspiring. Also, she just sounds good – a combination of the growl of Hiatus Kaiyote‘s Nai Palm, the fullness of Lake Street Dive‘s Rachael Price, the effortlessness of Amy Winehouse, and then that extra wow-factor that Bernardo herself brings to the table. Truly, she holds nothing back during the performances on this EP.

When all is sung and done, pity prayers is certainly a religious experience, but what a pity that it ever has to end.

Sonia Bernardo had her sights set on becoming a Fado great after beginning to write songs at the age of 10 but indie music stole her heart and we are grateful to reap the benefits. Her first release since 2017, “Genius Level II” marks the beginning of a new chapter as she prepares to release her new EP, Panic Prayers.

Born to Portuguese parents and residing in London, Bernardo is heavily inspired by PJ Harvey and Talking Heads and previously drew interest from major producer Phil Manzanera from Roxy Music. Manzanera invited her to sing on the track “Sound of Blue’ and she joined him on tour, opening for Jools Holland in December 2018.

Co-produced by Dave Maclean (Django Django) and Sunglasses for Jaws, “Genius Level II” opens with a somber electric guitar melody before we become absorbed in Bernardo’s storytelling and strong, distinctive vocals. “Genius Level II” is a tale of relationship struggles and frustration following countless arguments.

“Now here we go again. Entertainment I’d recommend. In hope we still make it through, this is genius level II,” she sings. These lyrics perfectly illustrate Bernardo’s constant battle to keep her relationship alive in a first chorus delivered with attitude, laced with sarcasm. Despite the dark undertones of the instrumentation, the track has a real warmth and closes with a wonderful stripped back outro where she displays her intricate melodies, sweet tone and impressive vocal range. “Genius Level II” is very much in line with the alt-soul/jazz singer’s intention and desire to cultivate her experiences into a new fluid and sultry EP that oozes class. Listen below.