Viktoria Søndergaard marks her debut release on April Records unveiling the full-length 'Music of Secrets'.
For the vibraphonist and composer, Søndergaard's introduction as a solo artist in her own right has perhaps been a long-time coming. With previous projects including her BARYL quartet, spawning the releases 'Allerede Mandag?' (2021) and 'Hva´ fanden sker der?' (2023), along with the duo project 'Call Me a Princess' from earlier this year alongside double-bassist Klára Pudláková, Søndergaard has continued to ingratiate herself into Denmark's landscape of modern-day jazz luminaries.
We'll come back to those projects shortly, but through each of Søndergaard's projects to date, she's brilliantly able to tap into various facets of herself revealing another intricate layer of her musical make-up and inspirations.
Aside from helming two album releases this year, 2025 has proved an exceptional year for Søndergaard who can also boast serving as the proud recipient of the Carl Prize Honorary Award - a distinction that will no doubt make room in the trophy cabinet alongside her previously awarded Aarhus Jazz Talent Prize and Tivoli Jazz Prize. Definitively recognised as a fundamental voice in contemporary Danish jazz, it's certainly no surprise that the fine folks over at April Records would ultimately have been keen to include Søndergaard as part of their teaming roster.
'Music of Secrets' positions Viktoria Søndergaard front & centre with excellent support from vocalist Elvira Skovsang, pianist Frederik Blæsild Vuust, double-bassist Ida Duelund and drummer Siv Øyunn. While BARYL presented a notably personality-laden perspective on improvised jazz and 'Call Me a Princess' delivered a haunting yet sublime and boundlessly imaginative take on the fairytale motif, 'Music of Secrets' opts to pull no punches by delivering Søndergaard's most all-encompassing project to date.
Proudly intertwining styles and genres so eloquently across the album's ten tracks, Søndergaard & company dive head-first into the album delivering rousing pieces like 'Mor, Mor', thoughtful and intimate compositions like 'The Human Noise' and the brilliant charisma of 'It's So Nice'. While the beautifully rich tone of 'Vi legede i marken' serves as a stunning runner-up, the six-minute wonder of 'Le Soleil le Pain et L’Âme' may very well deliver as the album's fantastic centrepiece as it ebbs and flows across a glorious musical narrative.
Viktoria Søndergaard unveils a genuinely triumphant debut - an album of inspired depth and character, 'Music of Secrets' solidifies the vibraphonist as a genuine visionary whose burgeoning story promises many, many more chapters still to come.
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