"Sophya's lead singer Sonja has the most fantastic 'velvet' sounding voice you rarely come across, a perfect gem shining bright in the dark. The music is completely layered with ethereal elements and written in such a way that each song could become an instant classic."
-Ronny Moorings (Clan of Xymox)
A delicate and warm blend of swirling guitars and ambience over the legendary and awe-inspiring voice of Sonja Rosenblum. Passionate,intricate and like a dream echoed in a waterdrop..........
Some time in early 1996 in Israel, the project Sophya was first conceived by Idan Karutchi (guitars, synths, samplers, keyboards, & vocals) and Sonja Rozenblum (vocals, keyboards, programming), together with bass player Shai Ledder.
After experimenting for a while, the band started recording the tracks that will develope to be their first album. In late 1998, two new members joined the group: Hagai Shlezinger (drums) & Eliad Wagner (piano, keyboards, synths), adding new angles to the recordings.
In late 1999, Sophya moved to Amsterdal. There they were discovered and signed by Ronny Moorings of Clan of Xymox, after having a chance meeting with Idan in Amsterdam. After listening to their recordings, Ronny immediately decided to sign Sophya to the Clan's own label, Stichting Xymox Control. It gave him ... "the same sentiments like listening for the first time to the works of the early Cocteau Twins, Faith and The Muse, Curve and even The Sundays." ... "Sophya could have been a band on 4AD roster in their heyday" ...
The year 2000 saw the coming of the first album "The Age of Sophya" both in Europe and the US, represented by top alternative labels such as Pandaimonium (Germany) and Metropolis (United States).
In 2001, the band had played live dates in The Netherlands, debuting in the very first 'Gotham' festival in Amsterdam and later on in the first 'Terra Gotha' festival in Vlissingen. That year Sophya also recorded what was later to be the last track with the original "The Age of Sophya" line-up. The track 'The Firgurehead' was a part of a tribute to The Cure project "A Night Like ...". In Late 2001 came the release of "Notes from The Underground", the 2001 release from Clan of Xymox which featured Sonja of Sophya on the last track, "The Same Dream".
The year 2002 started with a remix by Idan to the track "Into her Web" for the Clan's "Remix from the Underground" album, giving a sense of expectations to Sophya's sound in their next release to come. In February 2002, bass player The Haze had joined the group. Sophya had returned to the stage, supporting Clan of Xymox in The Netherlands and playing that summer also in Belgium, in 'Eurorock festival'
In new years eve of 2003, Sophya's new album, "Dream", was completed and set to be released in April 4th 2003.
"A wonderful blend of heavenly voices tunes with dreamy guitars and a smooth bassplay that gives you wonderful help to forget the daily nightmare. The perfect follow up to their already amazing debut The Age Of Sophya"
(Pandaimonium Records)