Welcome to a selection of reviews for Maini Sorri’s albums, EPs and singles.

Review: You Are On My Mind Publisher: TunedLoud Publish Date: October 26th 2018

“Maini Sorri’s album ‘Bring Me Home’ was released only a month ago, yet she is back at work, and released a brand new single, entitled ‘You Are On My Mind’. The rushed release is due to the fact that on November 3rd people in Sweden celebrate All Saints’ Day, and also during the Christmas period people often long for relatives and friends that have passed away. The song is a collaborative effort by lyricist Barbro Norberg, music composer Maini Sorri, who also sings the song, and instrumental maker Jaakko Viitala. The track deals with Norberg’s sense of loss and longing after her dad’s passing away. The song is released via Reya Music in Sweden, while an accompanying video for the song, was produced by Meshack Ndubi from Kenya. If you’re looking for songs with lots of emotional depth and substance, this is the track for you.

The slight instrumental variation and downplay of typical radio single conventions on ‘You Are On My Mind’ complements Maini’s seasoned voice, which can straddle range with ease. This doesn’t sound like some teen diva throwing her journal entries into a blender and hitting the record button.

It’s a track by a mature woman who has mastered expressing vulnerability and celebrating emotions without sounding predictable or highly-strung. The track, complete with infectious guitar strums and an indie-inspired vocal delivery, is a truly expressive song that demonstrates Maini’s flair for adding a little something extra to her heartfelt anthems.

Maini Sorri’s narrative skills in communicating Barbro Norberg eloquent words is refreshing, and surprisingly sincere. Had it been sung by some emerging star, it may have sounded hollow or disingenuous. Luckily, Maini’s atmospheric voice and artistic prowess make it a song that rings truer than most.

While loss and longing are certainly well-trodden topics, there is something very organic and palpable about ‘You Are On My Mind’ that clearly comes from experience. Maini shows remarkable artistic vision by taking conventional music standards and adding enough vocal ambiance to keep it fresh and expressive.

Today’s music fans expect artists to deliver vocals with immense technical proficiency. They expect artists to reach a wide range of notes without sacrificing power. However, impressive technical talent is merely a prerequisite for competing in today’s world of mainstream music.

True greatness, instead, stems from the voice behind the vocals. A voice that has real world experiences to lean on, and is not lacking in emotion and identity. Elements which combine to give meaning to vocals. This ultimately is what Maini Sorri brings to the music and lyrics in ‘You Are On My Mind’.

Decidedly focused in construct and rich in personality, ‘You Are On My Mind’ provides Maini Sorri’s with another opportunity to consolidate her identity and leave her own mark on the story-line. With a refreshing sense of honesty, tremendous musical instincts and an alluring vocal tone, Maini’s connection to the music is an authentic one.”

Review: You Are On My Mind Publisher: Stereo Stickman Author: Rebecca Cullen Publish Date: October 22nd 2018

“Following the bold eclecticism of her album Bring Me Home, Maini Sorri returns to release yet another creatively unique single. You Are On My Mind is a notably smoother and more spacious, mellow offering than much of what came before. The ambiance brings together delicate pop vibes with just a few dashes of rock in the form of an intermittently appearing, distorted guitar part – adding a flicker of intensity to help heighten the emotion of certain melodic moments.

From a songwriting perspective, this is one of the most memorable melodies of Sorri’s to date. There’s a classically folk-like feel to the progression, these long-form lines rise up and descend in a familiar, comforting fashion. As always, Maini Sorri’s characterful voice delivers with ease, suiting the gentle mood in a flawless way. Where before her voice presented a distinctive contrast with the intensity around it, here the soundscape and the vocals pour through as a more secure unit of singular expression; creating something of a settled and widely accessible vibe. This opens the song up to a wider audience – it’s an easy piece to let play as you go about your normal life.

Lyrically the release is a stunning poetic ode to a lost relative. Barbro Norberg writes on the passing of her father in a commendable way, bringing through heart-breaking ideas but also a strong focus on the positives – the good memories, the togetherness. Maini Sorri’s gentle voice lets the lyrics shine brightly throughout, yet without becoming the only focus of your attention as might be the case with a classic pop song. There’s an Enya-like feel to the presentation, the voice drives as if simply another instrument, so the collaboration just works. It sounds pleasant in itself, and should you choose to listen a little more intently – the concept reaches out to connect in a very pure and relatable way.”

Review: Bring Me Home Publisher: Warlock Asylum International News Author: Warlock Asylum Publish Date: September 23rd 2018

“Swedish-Finnish singer and songwriter Maini Sorri is one of the few music veterans that has been blessed with a fountain of youthful continuity. Sorri’s lifelong love affair with music began at the early age of eight years when she wrote her first melodies. Since that time her career has blossomed tremendously. Sorri holds a Bachelor of Arts and her discography contains 5 albums, 3 extended plays and 19 singles. Sorri has performed at numerous venues and her music has been featured on Swedish radio and television.

Sorri’s musical expertise stretches beyond the limits of the genre. The depth of Sorri’s genius is revealed in her new album titled Bring Me Home. The backstory behind the album’s origins is truly remarkable. In 2015, Sorri received an email from Brian Lanese, a three-time Emmy Award winner and lead singer in the multiple Grammy-nominated LA band Permanent Ability. Lanese offered to produce Sorri’s next record, which resulted in the new album.

All songs on the album, except the title track Bring Me Home, were previously been released as singles. Bring Me Home is a strong electro-dance track filled with multiple out-on-the-town rhythms that paint a colorful good time in the minds of its listeners.

The Bring Me Home album brings together a smorgasbord of mood-altering songs that leaves us in Maini Sorri’s dimension. Lost Love is another tune out of the album’s treasure chest that crosses the borders of progressive and psychedelic rock music. Lost Love also has a nice dance mix that appears as the concluding track of the album. Never Said Goodbye is another hard rock song that melts with the world of pop music appeal.

Bring Me Home by Maini Sorri is a tasty offering from the songwriter that comes replete with an organic landscape that is both intelligible and moving. Contributions by Gary Cornman (lyrics) and Orlando Mestre (instrumentation) make this meeting of legends a timeless classic for the ages.”

Review: Bring Me Home Publisher: Stereo Stickman Author: Rebecca Cullen Publish Date: September 19th 2018

“Long time composer and artist Maini Sorri is set to release her latest album Bring Me Home. The title track from the project introduces things in a bold way, showcasing retro dance synths and a rising intensity, all woven in among a delicately optimistic and uplifting soundscape – with a vocal line that’s as delicate and smooth as you might find in ambient trip-hop. The euro-dance vibe is strong but it comes with a level of heart and depth on this particular single. There’s truth in the songwriting and this adds a lot of value and further intensifies that energizing feeling of possibility.

There’s a strong display of eclecticism on this album, despite several threads that keep the Maini Sorri sound alive. Parting Of Our Way, for example, opens as a heavy metal soundscape, the distortion and high energy and weight of the musicality contrasts quite profoundly with the softness of the vocal delivery. It makes for something now familiar but again cleverly aware of the effectiveness of contrast. The song has elements of both chaos and calm, and the lyrics further this feeling – offering the classic, reflective honesty that is clearly inherent in Sorri’s work. Lyrics by Gary Cornman paint a clear picture and offer a story-line that works well in this setting. The guitar work is brilliant and this, alongside of the melody, quickly comes to create a definite highlight from the album.

I Fall To Pieces emerges as familiar – this heavy, medieval rock intensity pours through, alongside of some lightly haunting, classical-style piano. Then the vocals take centre stage, and it’s another unique melody, perhaps the most interesting yet. The switch to the joyful aura for the hook is unexpected but strangely satisfying in its resolve.

Lost Love follows, and where before there were fragments of an Enya-style sound, this now seems all the more poignant in the opening moments. However, as is the Maini way, the music soon explodes into its own realm of creativity and expression. This track is again a highlight, there’s something extremely passionate and powerful about it. The quickness and the energy, the descending, repeating melody – all of this captivates and fills the room with so much detail and strength.

One of the most instrumentally emotive soundscapes on this album is that on Never Said Goodbye. The opening instrumentation draws a reaction from the offset, the aura is that of deep thought, self reflection, pondering and potential regret. The melody that follows has something beautifully real about it too, and the doubled vocal sound adds further to this sense of soul. As things progress, the musicianship is sensational, each layer and detail thoughtfully placed and passionately performed. The piece has an addictive quality, the shortness of the verse lines, the descending at the end of each line again – all of this is quickly memorable, and the music and details drive the experience in a stylish, skillful way.

The album also comes with a dance remix of Love Lost, an audio journey that reinvents the song and offers a thick and rhythmic version that still holds close to those essential threads of character. This track develops in a refreshing and heavy way, adding an element of now to a generally nostalgic aura, inviting the song and its ideas to be more closely involved in the EDM world. It seems that Maini Sorri’s vocal style is compatible with many different musical outlets and genres. In every case, it’s a compelling sound, and this album is one that offers an eclectic and emotional playlist, with plenty of impressive moments of power.”

Review: Bring Me Home Publisher: TunedLoud Publish Date: September 15th 2018

“Maini Sorri is a Swedish-Finnish singer, musician and songwriter living in Sweden who has composed music since she was 8 years old. She has studied song, piano and music theory and is a Bachelor of Arts. She has recorded her own songs and performed them in concerts and on radio and Swedish TV. Maini’s discography contains 5 albums, 3 extended plays and 19 singles. You can read more on her Webpage and at Wikipedia. Brian Lanese, the three time Emmy Award winner and lead singer in the multiple Grammy-nominated LA band Permanent Ability, contacted Maini Sorri in 2015, for the opportunity to produce her next record. The result is the 6 track album, “Bring Me Home”, which also features guitarist Orlando Mestre, the co-producer, arranger and instrumentalist on the album, who has participated in America’s Got Talent, and toured around the world.

All songs on the album, except the title song “Bring Me Home”, have previously been released as singles. “Bring Me Home” is based on a true story that Maini told Gary Cornman from USA. Gary, the lyricist of all the songs on the album, surprised Maini by writing a poem about her adventure that she then composed. The song “Lost Love (Dance Remix)” climbed on two national DRT Toplists for 5000+ radio stations in June 2015. The song is also featured amongst the incredible 50 song soundtrack in the stunning videogame ‘The Metronomicon: Slay the Dance Floor’.

Others who collaborated on the album include, Anthony Dini, Brandon Bujnowski, Dan Thomas Runway Studios, Janne Jutila who recorded the vocals, and Johan Zetterlund who took care of the artwork. This might be Maini Sorri best album. Let’s just state that at the outset.

It’s dramatically rocking as hell, as this dynamic Nordic talent showcases yet another chapter of her musical life. “Bring Me Home” acts like part of a gripping ongoing series. It’s dramatic, action-packed, tightly wrapping up its lyrical narratives and providing artistic closure. It’s mature, grounded and with the benefit of hindsight, bolsters the caliber of Maini’s previous records.

The tracks simultaneously recognize the grandiose effect of people like Lanese, Mestre and Cornman, while hinting towards their ongoing upward trajectory. This gives the album an impacting collective feel, like the finale of a mesmerizing opera. The narratives has been sculpted with precision and a delicate touch.

The production delivers coherent, flowing works that absorb. The songs grow with each play, becoming increasingly transfixing, drawing the listener in with their spiral soundscapes and employing Maini Sorri’s high-pitched vocals to great, yet subtle, effect.

The opening title track, “Bring Me Home”, quickly injects some kaleidoscopic color by way of mellifluous choruses seemingly drawn from the heavens and outfitted with luscious layers of keys and synths, while it takes a bow with a driving four-to-the- floor rhythm and a melody that remains in the memory long after the music fades. The album closes with the drone and buzz of more synthesizers, banging drums and soaring choruses on “Lost Love (Dance Remix)”.

But it’s in-between, on songs like “Parting Of Our Way”, “I Fall To Pieces” and “Never Said Goodbye” that Maini succeeds in doing what her voice is intended to do: contrast the fully formed rock aesthetic of the overdriven electric guitar.

The adrenaline spike is immediately and effectively centered, with the rush of rocking riffs on “Parting Of Our Way” as Maini’s vocals bring an ethereal fairytale-like aura into an infectious mix of pomp and passion. The steadily undulating piano intro on “I Fall To Pieces” turns into fiercely renewed energy once the arrangement explodes into full bloom.

Skipping the original version of “Lost Love”, our ears are given the outstanding treat of “Never Say Goodbye. Opening with a simple guitar melody that gradually develops with layers of sounds and swelling riffs supplemented by inspired vocals.

The track is thumping and anthemic, pulsing and in your face, with Maini at the top of her game. This is as downright amazing as it could have been. There’s just so many ideas in the heads of Maini Sorri and her collaborators that 6 tracks just doesn’t seem enough. There’s depth, intensity, emotion, and interesting collaborations on offer, which ticks all the boxes for an extremely memorable recording from Maini Sorri.”

Review: Bring Me Home Publisher: The BandCamp Diaries Author: Peter Vidani Publish Date: September 10th 2018

“Maini Sorri is definitely one of the most diverse and forward-thinking artists I’ve had the chance to discover in recent years. She is always keen on experimenting with a wide variety of different genres, often exposing different creative possibilities and setting the bar higher in terms of what it is possible with music, often collaborating with different artists and songwriters along the way. Recently, Maini set out to release a fantastic new album titled “Bring Me Home.” The release features 6 fantastic new songs, which were created with the help of lyricist Gary Cornman and instrumental producer Orlando Mestre. The songs were also co-produced and engineered by Brian Lanese, as well as mixed and mastered by Brian Lanese, Anthony Dini, Brandon Bujnowski, and Dan Thomas, who really brought a nice international scope to this release.

The tone of the album is very diverse, yet Maini really set out to maintain a stunning sense of cohesion throughout the release, highlighting her amazing musical mastery. The sound of the album is inspired by a wide range of genres, including pop, rock and dance music alike. In particular, the title track (Bring Me Home) is really an amazing example of what this album stands for, with its memorable melodies and unforgettable textures!”

Review: When Two Worlds Meet Publisher: More More Sound Publish Date: May 24th 2018

“Maini Sorri & Magneto Dayo are two talented artist with different music backgrounds and styles. Yet, their amazing sensibilities are a perfect match, and together the pair set out to create wonderful music with a rather unique feel.

Their most recent studio release is a fantastic album featuring 10 songs. The project is aptly titled When Two Worlds Meet, and it signifies the collaboration and synergy between these two artists, whose sound works so well together even when they are actually coming from different artistic paths. These songs are heartfelt, direct and humane, making for a really unique feel. Maini has a really stunning vocals, which is easily recognizable and very distinctive. She obviously puts a lot of heart into her work, and Magneto complements her beautifully with a strong vision and an amazing approach to music, bringing his hip-hop and R&B influences to the table, further enriching the group’s artistic vision.

The quality of the mix in this release is particularly excellent. Every track is really balanced, and there is a strong attention to the sonic details in this release. The low end spectrum of the frequency is focused, yet deep and wide, adding weight to the mix. The mid range is crisp and warm, but never fatiguing, while the top end is sparkly and clear, adding definition to the mix, without ever sounding brittle.

In addition to that, every aspect of this production is incredibly curated, from the feel of the performances, down to the amazing twist of the lyrics.”

Review: When Two Worlds Meet Publisher: TunedLoud Publish Date: May 21st 2018

“After having listened to her songs, Magneto Dayo contacted Maini Sorri on Twitter, with the desire to do a track together. They ended up putting together a 10 track album, “When Two Worlds Meet”, released via the Reya Music Label, and winning the Arzuk Music Award 2017 in the Best Hip-Hop/Freestyle category. Maini Sorri is a Swedish-Finnish singer, musician and songwriter living in Sweden. She has studied piano, music theory and composing, with her qualifications including a Bachelor of Arts degree. Maini’s discography contains 3 albums, 3 extended plays and 19 singles, in pop, dance, electronica, and rock category. The singles, “Blue Song” (2014) and “Second Chance” (2016) are collaborations with Magneto Dayo, and are included on the new album, along with “Lost Love” co-produced by Brian Lanese and Orlando Mestre from Grammy nominated LA-band, Permanent Ability. The instrumental is by Orlando Mestre.

Dashawn Williams, better known by his stage name Magneto Dayo, is an American rapper from Brooklyn, New York. He is also part of a ghostwriter team who have written songs for some of today’s top artists in rap, hiphop, and R&B. Besides his collaborations with Swedish-Finnish singer Maini Sorri, Dayo is also known for his VHS retro and S i m p s o n w a v e videos. He was one of the most promising new artists on Pandora radio 2015, with almost a million radio plays during the first month.

Some artists or albums can hit you so hard on a personal level that you can’t help but fall for them at first listen. Such is my liaison with Maini Sorri. Maini’s voice is such that it blends perfectly with the many varied instrumentation of her compositions.

She sounds sincere in a manner that travels the listener right into the scene of the tale she narrates. Her musical flavors can transport you all over the world. Most of all though, her work is introspective; by listening to her music, one can view life from a different perspective.

Maini has been dazzling the devotees of a host of musical styles for many years. With her breathtaking synthesis of Pop, Rock, and Electronic music, she has enthralled many, and now on “When Two Worlds Meet”, she takes her airy angelic voice deep into urban music territory.

And the impact is the equivalent of picturing Enya or Bjork singing on a set of rap or hip-hop songs. At first it’s hard to imagine, and even on the first listen, you’ll need to customize your perceptions, and acquaint yourself with the opposing styles forged by Maini and Magneto across these tracks.

He’s hard, she’s soft. He’s tough, she’s gentle. He gets down, she moves up. He’s the earth, she’s the sky. Together they represent the Yin and Yang in every song, completely confirming the theory of how seemingly opposite or contrary forces may actually be complementary, interconnected, and interdependent, and how they may give rise to each other as they interrelate to one another.

Maini sings sweet melody lines with the elegance of a sea nymph, while Magneto releases a stream of consciousness with his streetwise wordplay, attractive rhyme schemes and smooth vocal flow.

Prime examples of their delicious deliveries come in the form of standouts; the upbeat “Blue Song”, the dancefloor banger “Shiny Eyes”, the languid and haunting title track “When Two Worlds Meet”, the rock-influenced “Please Go Away” and “Oh Echo”.

This is an album built to be consumed with as many speakers as your room can hold – the beats, the voices, the atmosphere and overall beauty overwhelming your senses and painting lush rhythmic landscapes in your mind. If the loose term “world music” ever held any meaning, it is exemplified in the global sound that Maini Sorri & Magneto Dayo create here from varying styles.”

Review: When Two Worlds Meet Publisher: Kulturbloggen (Culture Blog) Author: Petter Stjernstedt Publish Date: May 18th 2018

“Uppsala and Brooklyn. Synth and metropolis rap. Two worlds meet when Finnish Swedish Maini Sorri and American Magneto Dayo beat their bags together. With 20 singles and 5 albums behind her, Uppsala-based Maini Sorri, 57 years old, was looking for something new. At the same time on the other side of the globe in the hipster neighborhood of Brooklyn, an enthusiastic Magneto Dayo is listening to Maini. He loves the music and contacts her immediately. Maini and Dayo decide to meet. And four years later, the duo has completed his first joint album. “When Two Worlds Meet”? is not a bad album, but is well nostalgic in its design. Dayo is famous rapper and producer, who has written and produced for many great artists in the hip hop scene. With his quick jaw and big vocabulary, he gives weight to the production. And Maini with her unique voice adds an elegance. Magnetos rap and Mainis synth create exciting dynamics. It’s hard to slip Maini Sorri’s love for the 90’s. “When Two Worlds Meet” is 90’s-snorting dancehall and electropop with hip-hop rhymes and Daft Punk-like beats. Influences exist from past tense to present, from Daft Punk to the Human League. It’s very sprawling, yet kept built together with the strongest wallpaper glue. The nostalgia sometimes weighs and the modern sound becomes nothing but a memory.

Blue Song was released in 2014 and quickly climbed up on the National Airplay Top Charts list. It’s a dance-like piece where the tough reggae is mixed with dance hall and electro. “Second Chance” puts a nice synth-breaks across the beats.

With “An Echo” offers calm acoustic pop where painful echoes from the past are reminiscent. “When Two Worlds Meet”, the great highlight of the album, is the modern Kendrik Lamar that hits perfectly. The texts with few exceptions are written by Maini herself and revolve around love disaster and identity crisis. But the great retention is not narrative – the composition is. It’s a nice production with details like echoes, noise and LP scrunch that boost the sound image. The genres are mixed with mixed results.

Several pieces feel synth-swamped or otherwise overfeeded. The hybrid between melodic metal and ultra rapid electropop in “Lost Love” does not belong to the favorites, but I like the courage. To actually dare to test. Together, they explore conventions and clamps with resolute strides over established domains. “When Two Worlds Meet” is an album with a big courage. When two worlds meet, beautiful things can happen. In these times of tightened migration policy and xenophobia, it is a message we cannot hear too many times.”

Review: Parting Of Our Way Publisher: Sleeping Bag Studios Author: Jer Publish Date: March 7th 2017

“Alrighty then!  Lots of information out there regarding this new single from Maini called “Parting Of Our Way” – in particular the amount of hands involved in bringing this song to life was what I’d personally noticed right off the bat.  I’d assume it all gets traced back to original-composer/singer-songwriter Maini Sorri based-out of Sweden…and the ideas become continually collaborative from that point forward.

For instance…Maini composed the new single “Parting Of Our Way” – but she didn’t play it; that she left up to the extreme talents of ace-musician Orlando Mestre to provide.  Or another example: while Maini wrote the music and sang the song – she also chose not to do the recording on her own particular track and left that up to Janne Jutila.  Or how about ANOTHER twist for you in mentioning that while Maini ends up being the voice to this new song – the lyrics themselves were written by Gary Cornman.  Add in the guidance and expertise brought to the project by producer Brian Lanese and you’ve got the majority of the people involved in creating “Parting Of Our Way” from the ground up.  Impressive when you look at it in written form though isn’t it?  It’s kind of like ‘telephone-tag’ where each person whispers the next part of the song to the next artist involved and by the end, it’s all so much more different and unique from where it started; I enjoyed this collaboration of talents and mentally picturing how each artist fit into their place to write, play and record this new tune.

“Parting Of Our Way” ends up becoming quite the ride through a clever metal-melody that’s got a brilliant display of contrast between sweetness and the extreme.  Orlando Mestre of the USA slays the guitar-parts completely, flexing much musical-muscle, style, chops & skills…drums and synth-parts are all in line and the music itself is riotously entertaining throughout.  What perhaps impressed me most about “Parting Of Our Way” was how insightfully well the music works with the vocals; so now we’re talking about talented performers – but let’s not forget that someone out there, probably Maini, hand-picked these people to execute the vision of sound in-full – and that takes talent too.  Or rather, it’s only by the end result sometimes that we understand there was talent or care in the selection – and I think you can hear that there most certainly was in this particular case.  Orlando was a perfect choice to bring out the vibrant guitar-riffs and non-stop energy that fuels the music of “Parting Of Our Way” – and Maini is an equally-perfect choice to bring the lyrics/vocals to life through stunning contrast.

Not even kidding – I think her voice a huge part of this song.  As a writer it can be tougher to ‘stay’ with a song when the words come out with certain gaps in what’s being communicated…and truthfully, there’s still a bit of that here on “Parting Of Our Way.”  The important emotions and thoughts are communicated effectively…but grammatically there’s a few spots that make this song tougher to absorb and a rhyme-scheme that when reading it on paper seems…well…almost too-rhymey!  This is where Maini comes in to save the day with her unique approach and stylistic vocals.  Don’t get me wrong…Gary’s done a pretty solid job on those lyrics and there’s no doubt he’s pulled something off in English a million times better than I could write anything in Swedish…so credit where credit is due, his ideas DO come across – but it’s the magic in Maini’s performance that makes these words come alive.  Her sweetened tones sound innocent, yet bold in the mix of the music around her voice…and the way that she sings this one makes what could have sounded too-rhymey become uniquely entertaining.

Overall…seriously interesting stuff here on “Parting Of Our Way” and a whole bunch of talents & skills contributing to a focused vision, writing and structure of this composition to execute it in the wildly-entertaining style & sound that I’m sure Maini had to have been going for to begin with.  I think it would be incredibly rewarding for a composer to hear the final versions of a song like this come to life…Maini certainly found the right people for the job to deliver maximum entertainment in under three-minutes on “Parting Of Our Way” – solid stuff.”

Review: Parting Of Our Way Publisher: Got That Music LLC Records/All Purpose Music Group LLC Author: A&R team Publish Date: March 6th 2017

“TALENT – “Parting Of Our Way” has a cool, upbeat rock style balled build with an eccentric pulsating melody. The music composition format has a hard style groove with a great drum pattern and percussion change up. The vocal performance has a soft angelic delivery with good melody range. Great background ad libs that layer the song well! The songwriting has a deep convictional style lyric, solid message and song concept. The main chorus could stand out more, to be more distinct. The song could also incorporate a better verse to chorus transition. Great introduction. The overall track sound is up to industry standards, good mix. Maini Sorri is a talented singer with a powerful produced musical composition!

MARKETABILITY – “Parting Of Our Way” is a marketable record. It is a visual style song that needs a bigger platform in order to brand this sound. It’s a great song to be placed in movies and on television. The record should be pitched to music supervisors within the film and television industry. Very marketable record!

OVERALL – Maini Sorri has created an appealing hard rock record. It has an emotional heartbeat design through the passion of the music. This record has what it takes to brand this artist for creating a signature sound. Maini Sorri should craft an official music video to use as an extra tool to expand the promotional campaign of the record. Keep up the great work.  Great overall sound, this team of producer, songwriter and singer have a lot of potential together!”

Review: Parting Of Our Way Publisher: JamSphere Author: Rick Jamm Publish Date: January 31st 2017

“I’ve known of Maini for a few years or so, and like the artist enough, that I’ve listened to 99% of her previous offerings. Anyone who has listened through her catalog knows that over the years Maini’s sound has developed, expanded and has become more progressive. I think this new approached is very apparent in Maini’s latest single “Parting Of Our Way”– music by Maini and lyrics by Gary Cornman, while the instrumental is done by Orlando Mestre. The whole rock, ambient metal idea, is really cool, and blending it with Maini’s airy, high pitched vocals provides an interesting contrast.

Let me tell you, on this track, Maini is absolutely solid. The quality of melody, rhythm structures, and direction of the song is fantastic. The song flows very nicely from intro to verse to chorus, all of which makes sense to the listener. Also, and because of this, the track is very approachable to new listeners.

Looking at things a little deeper, I’m am very impressed with Maini’s deadpan vocals on this track. Her delivery is excellent, she has wonderful tone, and her harmonies sound absolutely beautiful. While harmonies are very apparent and heavily used on this track, I believe it is not over done, it is well thought out, and precise.

Plus, effects used on Maini’s voice also change in key areas of the song, which kind of goes back to the thought of ambient metal. When the music transitions from a heavier phase of the song to a dreamier, spacy feel, these transitions flow nicely. Guitars fade appropriately, percussion switches to a softer, electronic effect, and the vocals take the forefront, highlighting the strength and beauty of Maini’s voice.

As for the music as a whole, each individual part can be highlighted away from everything else that’s happening. At the same time, it does form an overall sound! This is a strong showing of the musicianship and production values on this track.

Bass tracks are always interesting and apparent. I appreciate this, as it gives the song’s sound a strong bottom-end, but it also doesn’t take anything away from the guitar work. I’ve noticed that the guitar work is overall very creative without going over the top. I think Orlando Mestre has pretty much figured out what role the guitars should play in this arrangement.

As for drum tracks, fills are interesting and appropriate, but what is most important in my mind, is how the drum tracks help the band transition from heavier parts into the more ambient ones. I like the tone of the drums, even though they do sound kind of electronic throughout.

Finally, I must touch on the production of this album. Brian Lanese & Orlando Mestre produced the track, and they did a fantastic job. I can imagine that this style of music could have a million directions in terms of how a producer might fiddle with the sound and layout of these songs. But, the two producers seemed to have clear ideas, without over producing. In conclusion, this is simply a fantastic track.”

Review: Parting Of Our Way Publisher: Independent Spotlight Author: Brett Stewart Publish Date: January 25th 2017

“Dating back nearly two years now, Maini Sorri has been a continued feature here on the Independent Spotlight. The intensely prolific songwriter, who now has 25 albums in her discography, has proven to be a resilient and compellingly creative talent. A veteran of the indie music scene, Sorri has traversed a slew of genres with ever-increasing prowess. Her first release of 2017, a single entitled ‘Parting Of Our Way,’ is out now. Let’s dig into it.

Predictably, Sorri has jumped genres since the last time we delved into her tunes. ‘Parting Of Our Way’ has a decisively rock and roll oriented sound, one that walks a line between 1980s nostalgia and contemporary pop sensibility. Written by Gary Cornman with instrumentation by Orlando Mestre, the powerhouse track is arguably one of the more driving, bombastic efforts in Sorri’s catalog. It’s a huge sound, which is contrasted in an intriguing way with Sorri’s signature soft-spoken croons.

Vocally, I’d perhaps align Sorri with a performer like Yoko Ono. She has a very expressive, unique voice, and it’s a good one, too. It is, however, unconventional. The included lyric sheet will help guide listeners through their first few listens of this track. After that, though, the song will slowly seep into one’s mind with its infectious hooks and explosive production. I adore how Sorri harmonizes with herself; it’s a great sound.

‘Parting Of Our Way’ is a wham, bam, thank you, ma’am sort of track. Clocking in less than three minutes, the song is a perfect ‘radio single.’ As per usual, Sorri has included an instrumental version of the track as well. In truth, it feels very empty. Sorri’s presence and personality is what makes her music excellent. Without it, the music just feels like a shell of its former self. For fans who would like to explore Mestre’s composition without Sorri’s vocals, however, it is available.

‘Parting Of Our Way’ is an excellent track. I love that Maini Sorri is continuing to experiment within her sound. It’s a great pop rock single that offers some classic sensibility that’ll be nostalgic for fans of 1980s rock and roll. Stream it below!”

Review: Parting Of Our Way Publisher: The BandCamp Diaries Author: Andrea Caccese Publish Date: January 22nd 2017

“Maini is a rare talent: she is great on melodies and on moody vibes, but her brand new single, “Parting of Our Way” is also proof that she can really rock when she wants to. The song features really great overdriven guitar tones as well as some really powerful drums and some beautiful synth keys. The energetic music really works well with Maini’s amazingly melodic voice. I particularly love the romantic lyrics and how they correlate to the music in a very special way. Maini particularly shines on this track by layering multiple vocal harmonies that truly constitute the vocal strength of this track.

The song is fairly different from most of her previous work, and it is incredibly refreshing to see an artist that isn’t afraid to challenge her own boundaries and constantly experiment with new things and new takes on sound.”

Review: I Fall To Pieces Publisher: JamSphere Author: Rick Jamm Publish Date: June 1st 2016

“Like all of Maini recordings, “I Fall To Pieces” proves to be an extremely rewarding listen as its internal complexities unfold. The amount of detail to be found in the song is amazing. Due to Brandon Bujnowski’s ingenious mix, and Brian Lanese’s co-production with Orlando Mestre, the composition is rife with nuance. I particularly enjoyed their use of a wider palette of sounds, taken from rock to pop and techno, adding textures and atmospheres to the song like never before.

“I Fall To Pieces” is radically different from its predecessors, except for “Never Said Goodbye” which it resembles in shape, sound, and direction – as Orlando Mestre has built a complex song that is rhythmically evolved with exquisite drumming.

His sound is larger and more focused covering a broad spectrum of sound colors, enhancing the guitar solos as well as the strings. The instrumental version tends even further towards the progressive rock arena, with a harder feel.

As usual Maini once again shows that she is at the top of her game vocally. The song’s musical and lyrical thoughts are delivered in the clearest manner they could ever be, while at the same time capturing a universal celestial feeling that is a common thread throughout her entire body of work. A feeling not unlike that of the passing of the seasons – a promise of something forever constant, yet always changing in the most inexplicable ways.

I have always been able to relate to Maini’s music of the past, and it is even more pleasing to hear an expression in her music – written by Gary Cornman (Lyrics) and Orlando Mestre (Music) – that is new and equally heartfelt, yet also so familiar and relatable.

Anyone who has even the smallest scrap of emotion, or who knows even the slightest thing about music will have no problem appreciating this new track for what it is: A work of crossover art.”

Review: I Fall To Pieces Publisher: BandCamp Author: Bradley Rust Publish Date: May 31st 2016

“Maini follows up the impressive collaboration single ‘Second Chance’ with a new single of her own. To start with, my first vibe is a little Nightwish style from the opening 30 seconds before the pace eases a little and her voice takes centre stage. I really like that the song structure isn’t the same as everything else out there in pop music, you truly don’t know what is coming in ten seconds time which ensures you are listening closely. My only fault.. I wish that guitar solo went a bit longer!”

Review: I Fall To Pieces Publisher: BandCamp Author: Bree Morcroft Publish Date: May 31st 2016

“After a slow-building, atmospheric introduction, ‘I Fall To Pieces’ explodes into a slightly unexpected, but pleasing bright burst of pop goodness the moment the vocal kicks in. Unexpected, in that the lyrics are quite sad, so it is an interesting mix. The hooks capture your attention instantly, almost away from the music, but then it fights back courtesy of a guitar solo front and centre. By the end, the main lyrics have stuck in your mind. Bright delivery of a sad song. I like it.”

Review: I Fall To Pieces Publisher: Independent Spotlight Author: Brett Stewart Publish Date: May 29th 2016

“For over a year now, Maini Sorri has been a semi-regular feature here on the Independent Spotlight. I’ve delved into a broad spectrum of her work and her ability to harness an array of genres in a seemingly effortless fashion has kept me in a position of lauding her creativity. In particular, her production techniques are fascinating. Her latest effort is ‘I Fall To Pieces,’ a straight-up rock and roller. How is it against her impressive catalog? Let’s find out.

To preface, it’s worth reminding readers that Sorri is uniquely prolific. She’s got twenty-four CD’s in her catalog now, spanning pop, rock, dance, and techno. Within each of those spheres, Sorri experiments a bit to make each track her own. On ‘I Fall To Pieces,’ she’s opted for a bombastic, anthemic track that slams the listener with a whole lot of heavy instrumentation.

That instrumentation was performed and recorded by Orlando Mestre, who lives in the US. (Remember, Sorri is based out of Sweden and collaborates with artists all around the world to achieve her sound.) Mestre’s performance is good, though the atmosphere he’s created does feel a bit dated. The solo at 2:25, for example, feels like it was pulled out of a 1980s Bon Jovi track. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, but it’s not contemporary. (Thus, this is only a problem depending on how Sorri wants the track to feel.)

Sorri’s vocals are solid, as usual. She’s got a signature style that one becomes accustomed to as they spend more time with her catalog. I’d actually align her vocal style to that of Yoko Ono. I mean that as a compliment, too. Ono has produced some exceptional work. (Just listen to ‘Season of Glass.’) Sorri’s typical pop sensibility is infused into ‘I Fall To Pieces’ as well, and it’s a catchy tune.

It’s hard to put out music… period. It’s dramatically harder to do so at the expedited rate that Maini Sorri does, and maintain any level of quality. She does that, though, and ‘I Fall To Pieces’ is a nice entry into her rock portfolio. In the future, I’d be very interested in hearing Sorri in a more stripped down soundscape – perhaps with acoustic instrumentation. For now, though, listen to ‘I Fall To Pieces’ below.

(Oh, and I’d recommend spinning the track with vocals. The instrumental version feels a bit void of emotion, as Sorri is the catalyst for the personality of the track.)”

Review: Second Chance   Publisher: JamSphere   Author: Rick Jamm   Publish Date: January 28th 2016

“Damn, I didn’t expect this from Maini Sorri. She brings out her sexy side and her vulnerable side while maintaining a cool groove, singing the hook in “Second Chance”, her second collaboration with American rapper. Maini has delved into, explored and executed a plethora of music styles over the past years, lending her feathery toned, sky-high pitched, Jhené-Aiko-styled vocals, on tracks ranging from Hard Rock to Electronic Dance Music. This time she turns to Rap music based on an almost Eastern European, Polka sounding beat.

I really didn’t know what to expect from Maini’s most recent effort except for the fact that she will always remain true to herself no matter what musical path she ends up taking. Maini Sorri is beautiful in every way that a grown woman can be beautiful. And that beauty permeates through her music. In “Second Chance” her performance is almost angelic and plays a perfect foil to Magneto Dayo’s easy-paced rhymes. He flows and she flies. Like heaven and earth, the two of them make absolute sense as the track mixes a relentless forward motion with a carefully preserved ‘electronicness’.

Eurodance, dream dance, synth, techno, polka-pop, electro-pop, rap – if you love any of these, you will love this track. It incorporates elements of all the above to create a sound that will entrance all dance and rap music lovers. The music for “Second Chance” was composed by Carsten Lehmann, while the lyrics were taken care of by Maini Sorri & Dashawn Williams. All instruments, music arrangement, mixing and mastering was done by Carsten Lehmann. “Second Chance” by Maini & Magneto Dayo is out on the Reya Music Label.”

Review: Second Chance   Publisher: Middle Tennessee Music   Author: Joshua Smotherman   Publish Date: January 26th 2016

“Get ready to bust a move and slip right into the groove when you click play on Maini and Magneto Dayo’s new single “Second Chance”.

“Second Chance” is the product of a recent collaboration between Swedish-Finnish songwriter, Maini, and Brooklyn rapper Magneto Dayo.

With it’s upbeat, make-you-move energy and the vocal stylings of Maini’s singing blended with Dayo’s flow, this single is a must for your next dance party. Don’t be surprised when you hear this the next time you hit the club.

This is not Maini and Magneto Dayo’s first collaboration, however. Following up their last release “Blue Song”, this power duo hopes “Second Chance” can exceed 11 weeks and #9 on the DRT National Airplay Charts.

Review: Second Chance   Publisher: Independent Spotlight   Author: Brett Stewart   Publish Date: January 22nd 2016

“In this evening’s edition of the Independent Spotlight, we revisit an artist we’ve regularly delved into over the last year: Maini Sorri. The Swedish-Finnish singer, musician, and songwriter has been lauded several times here on the Spotlight for her refreshing tunes that span a variety of genres. She’s tackled pop, electronic dance music, love ballads, and so much more. Her latest endeavour is ‘Second Chance,’ a collaboration with the American rapper Magneto Dayo. Let’s dig right into it and figure out what it’s all about.

Magneto Dayo discovered Sorri online and reached out to record with her, and thus, the two crafted ‘Second Chance.’ The track aligns closely with Sorri’s previous dance music efforts, relying entirely on electronic instrumentation, thick, danceable beats, and intensity. One of the hallmarks of a Sorri recording is infectiously fun synthesizers; she’s particularly good at that. They’re in abundance on ‘Second Chance.’ Her signature crooning is in force again as well.

I love the induction of Magneto Dayo to Sorri’s style. She mixes perfectly with his strong, powerful hip hop delivery. One of the things about Sorri’s music that I’ve always found especially compelling is her ability to work with a myriad of artists and collaborators across great distances to significant success. It’s quite difficult to create a cohesive product when half of the work is being done in Sweden and the other half in America. ‘Second Chance’ pulls this off in spades, and you’ll forget entirely that the two weren’t actually in a studio together.

The lyricism is quite good, too, especially on Magneto Dayo’s end. It isn’t terribly deep, but it is well rhymed and executed. I will say this, though: I would like to hear Sorri release a stripped down track. She should shed the electronic instrumentation and drum machines and accent herself less intense orchestration. Her voice is wonderfully unique, and I think it would be so remarkable against a simplistic soundscape. That, however, is for another day. In the meantime, check out ‘Second Chance’ when it drops this Monday, January 25. It’s a great tune.”

Review: Second Chance   Publisher: Down Beatz   Author: Down Beatz   Publish Date: January 22nd 2016

“Maini & Magneto Dayo are an explosive act that offers a kaleidoscopic mix of genres, ranging from dancehall to hip-hop, EDM, pop and dubstep. Their recent single “Second Chance” is a great taste of their eclectic attitude and great production skills. The song strikes punchy and direct from the very first beat, with some really great synth leads and with some punchy beats that will send your butt straight onto the dance floor! The vocal hooks truly allow the song to open up, adding a lot of texture and depth to the single. Second Chance is going to be released officially on Monday, and it’s about to become a total club banger! The changing rhythms and crazy sing-alongs aren’t going to get out of your head easily.”

Review: Second Chance   Publisher: BandCamp   Author: Bree Morcroft   Publish Date: January 23rd 2016

“Adding to her diverse award winning catalogue, Maini teams up with Magneto Dayo a second time on this track. New York Hip Hop mixed with Swedish Pop. On paper it probably shouldn’t work, however it only takes one listen to stick in your head, and when the instrumental version starts playing – you will be singing. Be it the upbeat party style music, or the hook filled infectious chorus. You’ll have no troubles remembering this one.”

Review: Second Chance   Publisher: BandCamp   Author: Bradley Rust   Publish Date: January 23rd 2016

“Two very compelling voices make for a fresh blast of dance floor moving sounds. Fun, catchy and unique. Most pop these days is too predictable and safe, the hair is let down (and flung around) on this one. Great listen!”

Review: Never Said Goodbye   Publisher: JamSphere   Author: Rick Jamm   Publish Date: November 10th 2015

“Maini Sorri has released a wide range of music in recent times, not least her single “Lost Love (Dance Remix)” which we reviewed during June of this year. Now Maini is back with another release, her single “Never Say Goodbye” to which she herself wrote the music. Gary Cornman took care of the lyrics, while the instrumental was handled by Orlando Mestre. The song was Co-produced by Brian Lanese & Orlando Mestre, engineered by Brian Lanese and mixed at Runway Studios in Buckinghamshire UK, by Dan Thomas.

This time around Maini switches her attention to a hard rock induced soundscape for a heartbreaking love song. Full of crunchy guitar riffs and shredding lead solos, the rhythm rides on a gut-busting bass and drum motif. Floating on top of this hardcore driven rocker, Maini’s light and airy voice adds a stunning dimension of contrast, which will catch you off-guard at first. Probably very similar to something you would experience if Yngwie Malmsteen and Enya crossed musical paths.

Light and heavy, soft and loud, hope and delusion, bitter and sweet, are all contrasting textures and tones that come into play in this arrangement of controlled commotion, communicating a love lost. “Not a word was spoke / All alone I woke / It is so unkind / To leave clothes behind / I cannot conceive / Why you had to leave / Why you had to leave”. Maini’s singing style is irreplaceable because her voice is a perfect fit for bright, airy music, while this track is stooped in heavy crunching guitar tones. Miraculously the two opposites work perfectly together, while Cornman’s lyrics are powerfully relevant to the hurt and the broken that search for hope from all the pain and uncontrolled behaviour by others in their lives.

On “Never Say Goodbye”, Maini Sorri offers upbeat, rocking music that combines heartfelt lyrics with music you can feel and appreciate for its artistic quality. Once again, Maini has worked with a team that produces high quality work, both creatively and in the studio, immensely enhancing her compositional and performance endeavours.”

Review: Lost Love (Dance Remix)   Publisher: JamSphere   Author: Buddy Nelson   Publish Date: June 11th 2015

““Lost Love (Dance Remix)” combines all of the best elements of 70s disco-pop wrapped up in state of the art production, esoteric lyrics, an irresistible beat and a completely winning sense of humor. The song, cross-breeds Donna Summer with Enya as Maini Sorri transports you to an outer-space intergalactic dance trance.

This tune will open up your wings and have you flying high in the club…or at least in your room. Maini’s combination of melodic playfulness and innocence is a rarity.  In my opinion, dance music is really suitable for Maini’s vocal stylings, as she has a light and airy inflection which is able to easily flow across any beat-driven track, adding an ethereal quality, which doesn’t impinge the arrangement, but enhances it.

Maini Sorri’s vocal impact on a musical arrangement can be likened to the difference between oil-paintings and watercolors. Oil paintings are thick with more luminescent colors showing off the dominant strokes. Watercolors are a primarily translucent medium, which allows underlying colors to show through each layer. This is exactly what Maini’s performances do. They allow the other layers of the composition to shine through.

“Lost Love (Dance Remix)” will lure people to Maini Sorri’s beautiful melody, and natural voice talent. The production, engineering and mixing will do the rest. Basically, if you enjoy light, disco-suffused dance and pop, this track is right up your alley.”

Review: Lost Love (Dance Remix)   Publisher: Independent Spotlight   Author: Brett Stewart   Publish Date: June 6th 2015

“Previously in the Independent Spotlight, I tackled Maini Sorri’s ‘Lost Love.’ That track had all of the proper pieces of a song with wonderful pop-sensibility and delivery. Now, we’re going to be delving into the dance remix of the new tune. (Click here to go read that first review – I’d certainly encourage reading that first to get my take on the original version of ‘Lost Love.’ Plus, that article covers all of the relevant info on Sorri that gives context to her music. I won’t cover that ground twice since I know readers have likely already been introduced!)

This new dance remix, though very similar to the original piece, does have some creative nuances that take it in an interesting direction. We’re actually getting a bit of an exclusive look of the track; Sorri won’t be releasing it until June 15. The track does exactly what it should do very, very well: provide a danceable take on the new single.

I’m a strong believer in the remix when utilized properly. The only remix that I want to hear is one that has its own creative license of the original track. Stay too close to the original tune and you lose the whole reason you’re remixing it. Deviate too far, you lose the song entirely. The remixed version of ‘Lost Love’ elegantly walks this line. It has all of the elements of a fantastic dance mix straight out of the late 80s and its dramatically different instrumentation keeps it consistently interesting.

I dig the dance version of ‘Lost Love’ and highly suggest checking it out when it comes around on June 15. Originally, I had a bit of trouble understanding the English vocals on ‘Lost Love.’ That concern still stands, obviously, since the vocals remain untouched on this rendition. It’s a small grievance amidst an overall intriguing pop effort, however, and I like where the dance remix takes this song.”

Review: Lost Love   Publisher: Independent Spotlight   Author: Brett Stewart   Publish Date: June 5th 2015

“In this review, I’m going to be delving into the music of the Swedish-Finnish singer songwriter, Maini Sorri. Unlike many independent musicians, Sorri has an immensely impressive portfolio of previous work with nineteen CD’s, an active YouTube channel, live performances on stage, the radio, and television, and acclaimed remixes and compositions. She’s also collaborated with a number of artists, had her music chart, and she’s professionally trained, rocking a college degree in the arts as well. Needless to say, her resume speaks for itself. Her new song, ‘Lost Love,’ drops on June 15. Let’s check it out.

‘Love Lost’ hits you like a tidal-wave of sound. It houses elements of rock, pop, and techno, yet feels rather original in its delivery and performance. I’d argue it’s an arena rocker, it would be remarkably suited for a huge rock concert. It’s cinematic and epic.

The sound of ‘Lost Love’ seems to build around Sorri in a unique fashion; she remains unphased by the cataclysmic instrumentation building around her and this creates a presence and aura that demands attention. It’s a bit reminiscent of Mannheim Steamroller’s style.

I love how intricate every piece of the production is as well, and this is elegantly portrayed in the instrumental version of the track that acts as the B-side. While removing Sorri from the equation removes much of the umph from the track, it’s certainly compelling to hear the instrumentation by itself.

I can attest to this record’s fantastic production and superb delivery on behalf of Sorri and it’s certainly one of the more interesting independent foreign pieces I’ve tackled this year. (Foreign to me, anyway.) Check it out, especially if you’re from her region. It’s a fun tune worth your time.”

Review: Moira   Publisher: LA Music Examiner   Author: Will Phoenix   Publish Date: March 19th 2014

““Moira” is the new single by Finnish singer-songwriter Maini Sorri and Jörgen Hansson. Backed with “Moira (Instrumental Version)”, this is the most recent example of the Sweden-based Sorri’s pop signature sound. Writing since age 8, Sorri has had some time to polish her tuneful trademark performing her songs live as well as on TV and radio.

Released mere days ago “Moira” not only reveals her previous vocal training but also demonstrates she must have paid attention when she was a student of music theory and composition. It’s got a new yet not at all foreign sound to it. Sorri was happy to shed some light on the subject.

“‘Moira’ is a song about my young fan Moira. I gained her as a devoted fan when I sang at Swedish radio’s Song contest in Axevalla, Sweden. I told (American) Gary Cornman about the sweet six year old girl Moira and he surprised me by writing a poem about her that I then composed”. It was later remixed by Jörgen Hansson who also sang background vocals.

The second track is a simply the underlying instrumental. It allows the listener to focus on the actual music composition. The single’s recently released accompanying music video was directed by W.A. Henderson and stars Cindy Clark both from Hollywood, Los Angeles. If it works with audiences as well as some of her previous work it will soon be on radio playlists in Sweden, Finland, the UK, the US, Spain and other countries.

Sorri’s new music video is currently on YouTube and her music is available on Facebook, ReverbNation, Bandcamp, the global online radio station Last.FM, MySpace and online stores worldwide. Check out Maini Sorri’s “Moira”. You won’t be (ahem) sorry.

My name is Phoenix and . . . that’s the bottom line.”

Review: Just A Dream   Publisher: WRUV Reviews – Radio WRUV 90.1fm   Author: Justin Time   Publish Date: November 15th 2013

“Cute as a button, Swedish Pop Dance artist Maini is back with another upbeat single titled Just a Dream. The single contains the original plus five other versions of the track. The original has more of a Disco Dance feel to it while the remixes are more EDM based. Another solid effort from Maini.”

Review: Hold Me   Publisher: Arzuk Productions   Author: Gonzalo Arzamendi   Publish Date: May 21st 2013

““Hold Me”  Strong and well define the introduction, strong rhythm well keep, easy melody to listen to, excellent arrangement, great mix and very suitable music, the lyrics message expresses great feeling, with well defined lines in combination with a great, and well tuned voice. Maini makes this melody a great hit, this melody is a joy to the ears. The vocals and music flows just perfectly, Maini transmits to the listener her emotion. In my opinion this song has everything music, lyrics, vocals and harmonies that a song needs to become a hit. This song will be a great addition to any music lover’s library.”

Review: Hold Me   Publisher: DJ Readman Blog   Author: Paul Readman   Publish Date: May 14th 2013

“This is the third dance release from Maini Sorri. This one is more of a pop/dance crossover song, with a softer beat than the previous dance release of Please Go Away. This is a very nice pop song and accompanies the voice of Maini very well with a very nice flowing beat and song. This song is very good on a speaker system, but for some reason suffers a little on headphones.”

Review: Overview of Maini Sorri’s Releases   Publisher: DJ Readman Blog   Author: Paul Readman   Publish Date: April 29th 2013

“Many people will only associate Sweden with Abba and a few scattered pop artists that you kind of forget. Someday was the first song that Europe and many radio stations was introduced to. Maini Sorri, originally from Finland, like many artists, she began singing in her native language. After a while artists wanted to reach a wider audience and that is usually through the English language. With the help of a lyrical translator and contact with American poet, Gary Cornman, the songs are now more widely known that even before.

From Someday, to the Euro dance tunes, Let Me Down Your Time, and more recently, Shiny Eyes, shows that Maini likes to push herself and does not want to stay in the same musical box. Please Go Away, is her current song and you can tell the production is improving as time goes on and the more attention her music gets from all over the world. In between Euro dance numbers she is always writing and released Dreamworld on October 31st 2011.

Please Go Away, is one of her first releases with two different styles recorded. There is a hard beat dance mix, which is much harder than her previous dance single and the other is a Rock Mix with both versions including an orchestral driven instrumental. Let Me Do Your Time, was the first release in the Euro dance style and was very well received, which is more geared towards the clubs. Maini does more pop music driven songs than dance, but she thrives on broadening her musical scope. In terms of my perception, I am not the biggest fan, although I like to listen to the music and its grown on me over time. I sometimes like music this way. I liked Someday when I first heard it, but I still like it over two years on. I was impressed with Maini’s singing voice, with the mixture of an English tone over her Swedish accent makes her singing voice pretty unique. Although not the most powerful of voices, the music that she produces and she receives, fits with her tone and style. Like any artist, she strives to improve herself.

May she continue to reign as the Pop Queen From Sweden

DJ Readman – Radio Variety Show”

Review: Someday: Vol. 2   Publisher: Liverpool Sound and Vision   Author: Ian D. Hall   Publish Date: December 18th 2012

“Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating * * * *

Maini Sorri has to be Sweden’s best kept secret as far as British audiences are concerned. The woman from Uppsala’s profile is really only known to the minority dedicated lovers of Scandinavian music in the U.K. and that is a shame as her album Someday: Volume Two is a sweet, intelligent and enjoyable piece of work.

Ms. Sorri’s vocals glide through the songs with a sense of finely tuned beauty and whilst it is difficult enough to change the written lyrics of one language to another, to change a style could be deemed as an even harder challenge but Maini Sorri provides a great awareness in her voice of what can grab the listener carefully by the hand and touch their heart with finely tuned sentiment.

Like the current fascination for Scandinavian Noir which has crossed from one side of the North Sea to the other with an almost pulsating appreciation, Maini has tapped into a vibe with her songs of innocence and a devastating anguish with Only A Memory, the delightful Oh Echo, the wonderful child-like despair of I Shouldn’t Have Trusted You and the exquisite Lähden Yksin (A Finnish version of the song I Am Leaving) which also gets a superb airing on the album.

The album certainly deserves attention and so does Maini Sorri, it certainly cannot be easy for any singer or band from that part of the world as they constantly have the image of Sweden’s most famous musical export constantly bandied around them. The world has moved on since the heady days of Abba-mania but in some ways the music of that nation never seems to get a look in without someone always asking if they will be as successful.

No matter what Ms. Sorri does next, this album will be a crowning glory of Scandinavian music.”

Review: Please Go Away   Publisher: WRUV Reviews – Radio WRUV 90.1fm   Author: Justin Time   Publish Date: November 18th 2012

“Swedish Pop Dance sensation, Maini, is back with another single titled Please Go Away. The music is high energy Pop Dance but this time there are some seriously rocking guitars backing up the track. Cute as ever, this hard rocking yet perky dance track is hard to resist.

Tracks: All Good”

Review: Please Go Away   Publisher: Relaxmuz   Author: Antony3005   Publish Date: November 12th 2012

“The wonderful Swedish singer Maini Sorri provides a real treat tomorrow with her two singles (or rather one – Please Go Away in radio and rock versions). The singles are arranged, compiled and mixed by Jaakko Viitala, Sweden and Carsten Lehmann, Germany. Music created and stored by Jaakko Viitala and Erik Nyström, Sweden and Carsten Lehmann, Germany. The vocals are recorded by Janne Jutila, Sweden. A successful vocal from Maini makes us literally fall in love with this music. A surprise rock sound will awaken some latent feelings.”

Review: Someday: Vol. 2   Publisher: AAA Music   Author: Anthony Weightman   Publish Date: November 13th 2011

“Maini Päivikki Sorri Hongslo is a Swedish-Finnish singer songwriter from Uppsala, Sweden who began composing music for piano from 8 years old . Her album Someday received some excellent reviews in the UK.

Her harmonies and background vocals are reminiscent of the style of Sarah McLachlan and her new album Someday Vol. 2 will be released on 14th November 2011 by Reya music, Sweden.

Clearly there are those who believe she’s a talented artist who is highly professional, hauntingly beautiful and can do nothing wrong”.

“Personally, I find her very energetic, genuine and inspiring with a clear and pleasant voice which has a strong feel of individuality.”

Review: Someday: Vol. 2   Publisher: Fatea Magazine   Publish Date: November 2011

“Sweden’s Maini Sorri follows up her mini album “Someday” with a full length release, “Someday Vol 2″. As the name implies it is an extension of the themes she established with the earlier cut, namely well polished pop songs. Sorri has a distinctive voice that is well suited to this sophisticated, layered, pop style. The album charts an emotional journey, encountering love in a number of it’s forms and whilst it sounds good, it doesn’t really push at any boundaries, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Again the highlight is the song sung in her native Swedish would have liked more.”

Review: Someday: Vol. 2   Publisher: Maverick Magazine   Author: Russell Hill   Publish Date: November 2011

“****
Hailing from Sweden and having been performing music since the age of eight, since her formative years Maini has gone onto releasing her own music which has gained critical acclaim. With this latest record, it shows how much she is developing as an artist and that as every album passes, Maini has something new to offer. Throughout the ten songs Maini’s vocals are beautiful. The way that she sings is so appealing that she could sing the alphabet and still make it sound new. “Only A Memory” is groovy from start to finish and is one song in particular that should see plaudits heading her way. With Maini’s enticing vocals which are then intertwined with superb production values, it is when listening to this track that it isn’t surprising that her music continues to be played all around the world.”

Review: Someday   Publisher: 272 Records   Author: J. Whitaker   Publish Date: July 2011

“Maini Sorri delivers an eloquent ballad that is so professionally played and executed, it’s inspiring.

As “Someday” begins its passage out of the speakers, the pianos and opening samples are hauntingly beautiful and instantly catch your attention. I can easily tell that there was a lot of time and energy composing this song.

Everything melds together cohesively as each layer of the song is unveiled one verse and chorus at a time. The songwriting is highly accomplished, as well is the execution of the melody lines. There are some really alluring harmonies and background vocals reminiscent to the stylings of Sarah McLachlan, which certainly works great in creating an authentic layer of warmth for a song in this genre of music.

The musicianship is as efficient as it gets and the band, as a whole, is fantastic. I especially love the lead guitar playing as well as the string arrangement.

Above all, I believe Maini has a lot of talent on display here. She carries her song wholeheartedly and brings the listener on her journey to where we all may wind up. Here’s to hoping that Maini’s travels “Someday” take her to wherever it is she wants to go.”

Review: Special Friend   Publisher: Arzuk Productions   Author: Gonzalo Arzamendi   Publish Date: May 2011

“I have the opportunity to listen to the music created and composed by Sorriso, this duet between John Baumann and Maini Sorri is a joy to the ears. 1.   “Special Friend” This song has a great structure the lyrics has a well specific message, the combinations of vocals between John and Maini flow with the music, with elegance and perfect coordination. The melody has a very special and singular accent, that together with the acoustic guitar makes this song a joy to the ears easy to listen and grabs you from beginning to end. This song transmits to the listener the clean state of mind of the performers. 2.   “Hiding Place” This song is soft and easy to listen. Great harmonies between the vocals, strong when it has to be strong and soft in the right places, the mix of instruments give the right soul that flows with message and keep the listener into the music, this song has an excellent combination of sound that shows the very human behind this composition.

Conclusion: Is my opinion that this duet has talent and Maini and John working together make the music a special gift for any listener, this song will be a great addition to any music library for any kind of listener regardless of gender of choice, both song has a great combinations of instruments lyrics and with excellent harmonies between Maini and John.”

Review: Let Me Do Your Time   Publisher: Women’s Radio   Publish Date: February 2nd 2011

“Swedish electronic artist, Maini Sorri joined WomensRadio late in 2010 and has since made quite the impact on our audience.  Her new video, “Let Me Do Your Time” resurrects vintage 70’s film/TV footage to accompany an up-beat rave-esque dance number which takes viewers on quite the aquatic journey.  There’s lots of fun to be had here … don’t miss out!”

Review: Let Me Do Your Time   Publisher: DJ Readman Blog   Author: Paul Readman   Publish Date: January 23rd 2011

“This is the new single, in the euro club style by Maini Sorri. This is another poem written into English for her and with a rigorous dance beat on this tune. Fans who like the mellow music of Maini music might be a little surprised with this rendition of this song because as it is a lot different and faster. But it is a well produced song with a deep dance beat. This will no doubt go well in the clubs. The vocals are live on this tune and not sampled as you might think, but as usually Maini’s fine angelic voice shines though and it makes a change to hear a singers accent coming through in the music. Gary Cornman is the man behind the poem and the lyrics who sent them to Maini to provide the first song she has sung in English, since Someday.”

Review: Let Me Do Your Time   Publisher: Tea Room Music   Publish Date: January 17th 2011

“Maini’s new single ‘Let Me Do Your Time’ is a good example of Euro club music within seconds of the song beginning, you can imagine yourself dancing away in Ibiza. The music is fairly strong – there is a heavy techno background to it with a good melody, composed by Maini herself. The production and arrangement is fantastic and makes the instrumental parts of the track highly enjoyable.”

Review: Let Me Do Your Time   Publisher: Arzuk Productions   Author: Gonzalo Arzamendi   Publish Date: January 2011

“I have the opportunity to listen to the music created and composed by Maini Sorri, Is my opinion that this music presents a great sound and creativity.

   1.      “Let me Do Your Time” This is a well composed melody with a great dance beat, clear and well tune vocals with great harmonies, excellent base, This song poses a strong structure with a well defined line, excellent rhythm easy to follow, a real and excited experience for the listener. Let Me Do Your time grabs you attention from the beginning to the end with the well performed mix, this is a song in my opinion that you most to add to your collection.”

Review: Someday   Publisher: Maverick Magazine   Publish Date: January 2011

“This singer-songwriter with a Finnish background has lived most of her life in Sweden where she has built up a sizeable following for her enchanting music and beautiful voice. This release marks her British debut, though she has already made an impact in America and Canada, and could well build a following in the UK. She has created memorable melodies and her lyrics, have been successfully transcribed from Finnish into English. There is an inspiring spirit in such songs as Someday and Like An Angel, and you can feel the pure emotion in the closing Lähden Yksin. A delightful five-song set that really whetted my appetite for more. 4/5”

Review: Christmas In Our Hearts   Publisher: Women’s Radio   Publish Date: December 24th 2010

“This Christmas, Maini Sorri Scandinavian singer-songwriter  is promoting her holiday album Christmas in Our Hearts which is a four-track, bilingual release. Sorri is known for singing English translations of traditional Finnish Songs, but with this release, listeners will get the best of both worlds. Two of the tracks “Christmas in Our Hearts” and “Our River Runs on Christmas Night” are in English with duplicates of each song in Finnish.

“Our River Runs on Christmas Night” feels mystical. It is infused with hymn-like humming, tribal drum sounds and flutes. Although it is in English, you can sense Sorri’s soft accent which makes the piece unique and unlike anything the listener has heard before. The song is relaxing (almost hypnotizing) and will allow listeners to imagine themselves in an enchanted Christmas forest being sung to by a little fairy; Maini Sorri. Music video idea? I think so.

“Christmas in our Hearts” is a more energetic track full of playful piano runs, heavy bells, and Sorri’s sweet high pitched voice. The lyrics are simple and made up of short rhyming verses about Christmas. This song will leave listeners feeling alive and full of lingering anticipation.”

Review: Someday   Publisher: The Rocker   Publish Date: December 23rd 2010

“Ms Sorri sings mainly in English, although the lyrics are translations of her original Swedish lyrics, and comes across a bit like a Corr meeting Enya. Which sounds better than it writes. The lead track, in particular, is a fine piece of soft rock that could easily pick up play on BBC Radio 2. As could ‘I Am Leaving’, which has an excellent melody and some good harmonies.”

Review: Christmas In Our Hearts   Publisher: AllGigs   Author: Elly Roberts   Publish Date: November 15th 2010

“‘Christmas In Our Hearts’ by Finnish songbird Maini Sorri is surprisingly refreshing compared to the usual festive fodder.

Sweet voiced Maini is a well-trained musician (a BA degree in piano, song music theory and composing) who has methodically opted for something different for us to swig down the sherry and devour mince pies.

In effect, this is very much a Scandinavian flavoured affair, which might well appeal to our mainland European cousins.

Traditionally, us Brits require something, well, less sophisticated (you know what I mean) and unfortunately this hasn’t got what we like – something truly memorable, even if it has to be a tad tacky.

Verdict – Lovely song, but not your classic Crimbo tune!”

Review: Someday   Publisher: Fatea Magazine   Publish Date: October 2010

“The standard for Scandinavian pop was set so high in the 70s that it’s never really been bettered, Swedish based Finn, Maini Sorri is the latest to give it a go with five track EP/mini album “Someday”. In fairness it’s a reasonable release, classic pop sensibilities, made slightly more exotic by Maini’s accent and the way she attacks certain words and phrases, it makes you give it a second take, but ultimately there is a feel of radio fodder about most of the album, until she gets to the reprise of “I’m Leaving”, “Lähden Yksin” sung in her own language feels on the mark.”

Review: Someday   Publisher: The Art Of The Torch Singer   Author: Piers Ford   Publish Date: September 30th 2010

“Not everyone can take a quirky little ditty and make it credible. It takes sincerity, a deal of musical sensibility and a belief in the ultimate message of a song that is probably greater than the sum of its parts. Maini Sorri seems to have the ability in spades. How about this for a couplet?

“Truth is you were selfish and a phoney.

I shouldn’t have trusted you and your baloney.”

It’s one of my favourite snippets from her new EP Someday, a small collection of five songs that frequently reveal a melancholy undercurrent beneath their whimsical lyrics and well-crafted melodies. Does that sound reminiscent of a certain other Scandinavian outfit? I’m not suggesting that there are huge similarities between Sorri’s work and the nuances of Benny and Bjorn’s finest numbers. But in the deceptive simplicity of lyrics that can sound banal, even childlike, at the first hearing before they work their way under your skin, and the layered arrangements, guitar-driven and piano-based, with their minor accents, it’s impossible not to detect a hint of ABBA’s mastery of the accessible pop tune with the dark back story.  And it’s no surprise that she cites Agnetha Faltskog as one of her main singing influences.

Sorri is a Finn who lives mainly in Sweden and is gifted with a pure, crystalline voice that easily covers the ground between pop and the more mainstream reaches of modern folk. Her accent – more shades of that ABBA-like appeal – gives these songs an air of innocence, a lack of guile, that surely belies her all-round musical strengths. She knows exactly what she’s doing and the sound she wants to achieve, and the result is a modest little box of jewels, from the catchy, twinkling intro of the title track (don’t be fooled, it soon gets elemental and philosophical, and has its eye on the great hereafter) to the gently contemptuous “I Shouldn’t Have Trusted You” (source of the baloney reference) and the sadly defiant “I Am Leaving”, which is also offered in Finnish as “Lähden Yksin”.

My first thought on playing “Someday” was that it has a certain Eurovision quality – in a good way. I don’t know if Sorri has tried her luck yet in the Finnish or Swedish selection processes for the contest, but reading her thoughtful and intelligent blog posts on the subject, I wouldn’t be surprised if she has ambitions in that direction. With a growing following – not just in Europe but also in the US and Canada – this could be a prime time for her to make that particular move.”

Review: Someday   Publisher: AllGigs   Author: Elly Roberts   Publish Date: September 15th 2010

“Maini Sorri‘s CD packshot might not look too appealing but pop in the CD and Sorri’s inner beauty shines through, because this Scandinavian singer-songwriter with a Finnish background (but resides in Sweden) sure delivers sophisticated pop.

Nobody can question her finely honed songcraft, the result of studying music and realizing a Bachelor of Arts degree. That kind of kudos doesn’t guarantee success, and for British ‘tastes’, at least, she may be way off the mark with the lead-off single ‘Someday’ from this 5 track EP.

No doubt some muso-minded playlist compilers will pick up on this delightful piano-based ditty, that builds up to a hefty crescendo, fully deserves a big audience.

Elsewhere, the remaining songs have real depth and are equally playable for radio, particularly Lähden Yksin.

Verdict – Don’t judge a CD by its cover.”

Review: Someday   Publisher: Indie London   Publish Date: September 13th 2010

“MAINI SORRI – SOMEDAY EP: Scandinavian singer-songwriter Maini Sorri sings English translations of Finnish originals. As she seeks to become more widely known in the UK, Sorri releases her Someday and hasn’t anything to be apologetic for (pardon the play on words!). Combining pop and folk elements with a vaguely Corrs meets Carpenters meets Abba sensibility, Sorri’s material is classic sounding and European embracing. There’s a keen sense of melody, a lovely voice to deliver the romantic lyrics (whether hopeful or downbeat) and an appreciation for classic song-writing values. Admittedly, there’s a Radio 2 vibe attached to it, but with Celtic influences hinted at on a track like I Am Leaving and a Corrs/Cranberries style of delivery to enhance the vocals on the title track, this is a pleasant enough listen that passes the time
amiably.
Rating: 3 out of 5”

Review: Someday   Publisher: County Times   Publish Date: September 10th 2010

“Released next Monday, this EP has five songs by Scandinavian singer songwriter and composer Maini Sorri, who has been making a name for herself right across Europe and beyond.

With a Finnish background, Sorri has lived for most of her life in Sweden, but has also worked with an American songwriter and an Italian artist on various projects. These have  included the Sorriso band, which released an EP last January.

The new EP opens with a springy “Someday”, which is also to be released individually as a single. It’s followed by the more interesting “I Am Leaving”, and the sweet Euro sound of “I Shouldn’t Have Trusted You” with some amuzing phrases and rhymes. “Like An Angel” sounds a little rushed but is still fine before the final song in Finnish “Lahden yksin” and your guess as to what  it’s about is as good as mine. Still the band works hard and the set is well produced to introduce Sorri for British music fans”.

Review: Hiding Place   Publisher: Arzuk Productions   Author: Gonzalo Arzamendi   Publish Date: January 2010

“I have the opportunity to listen to the music created and composed by Sorriso, this duet between John Baumann and Maini Sorri is a joy to the ears.

Conclusion: Is my opinion that this duet has talent and Maini and John working together make the music a special gift for any listener, this song will be a great addition to any music library for any kind of listener regardless of gender of choice, both song has a great combinations of instruments lyrics and with excellent harmonies between Maini and John.”

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