Sonic Coins + Icons

One listen to SOHAR and you’ve opened yourself up to a dark disco, trip hop, synth drone, analogue-soaked experience that draws from intimate conversations between electronic duo Mark H Evans and Hannah Jones.

It’s a narrative in sound where each other’s musical influences have been filtered through Mark’s synthesisers and guitars to create SOHAR, an album of songs that speaks of the often dirty but ultimately beautiful human condition that makes us who we are… but with a beat.

Hannah and Mark have a long and diverse musical partnership and their friendship spans more than 30 years. From bedroom rock ‘n’ roll in a South Wales terraced house to two ethereal acoustic albums as Betty Black & The Sleeping Giants, they parted ways when the vagaries of being and family commitments took precedence.

Now reunited as Sonic Coins + Icons, they’ve joined forces to put everything they’ve learned, experienced, listened to and thought about when life got in the way to make something meaningful and melodically profound.

That’s a big statement - but it’s a big album.

Mark has been a member of two influential and highly regarded Welsh 90s bands (The March Hares and The Jonah Hex) and shared stages with the 60 Ft Dolls, Dub War, The Stereophonics, Shed 7, Pop Will Eat Itself, Gorky’s Zygotic Mynki, Captain Sensible and Nova Mob.

He’s written soundtracks for film and TV and was shortlisted for a BAFTA Cymru for his work on BBC’s Codebreakers: Heroes of Bletchley Park. He also composed soundtracks to two short horror films this year (Reel Terror and End of Days).

Hannah’s a published author, broadcaster and journalist. But what she really loves doing more than anything else is be the first to hear Mark’s songs. Then be the only one to sing them.

SOHAR, their first album as a pair, was written and produced by Mark and supported by a cast of friends: Charlie Adlard (cover artwork), Joe Farr (mixing and mastering), Darryl Corner (photography and film) and Gary White (vocal recordings).

As to the album’s title? All we will say for now is that SOHAR is an acronym with clues to its meaning on the back of the album sleeve (due for vinyl release in November)…

…and in every line of every song.

All you have to do is listen.