Band: Carry The Branches; Musicians: Sonar Mallory: Vocals, synths, piano and guitar; Cody Fitzgerald: Guitar and bass; and Pablo Guanieri: Drums

Single: ‘Small Everyone;’ Release Date: August 4, 2023; Producers: Fitzgerald and Mallory

Surviving a life situation that society often deems to be arduous, especially at a young age, can be an emotionally challenging journey for many people. But up-and-coming chamber pop-indie rock singer-songwriter, Sonar Mallory is doing just that with their debut solo project, Carry The Branches.

The Brooklyn-based queer musician is sharing their unique artistic expression on the gritty, lofi, chamber psych five-track EP, ‘Zombie Telegram,’ which will be released on streaming platforms on December 1. Mallory will release a new single once a month until the album is released under their stage name, Carry The Branches.

Mallory, whose musical style on ‘Zombie Telegram’ is similar to such indie-chamber-pop-rock musicians and bands as Perfume Genius, Ezra Furman, Beach House and Yeah Yeah Yeahs, has been influenced by their experience growing up in a cult that believed in impossible physics and a secret world government. As a result, Mallory found a sacred refuge in music that helped give them the courage to later leave the cult as an adolescent, and eventually become not only a singer and songwriter, but also a multi-instrumentalist and producer.

While rock-n-roll music gave the artist the courage to venture on their own to build a stable life in New York City and begin a career as a psychotherapist, while also coming out as trans and medically transitioning. But during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown, they turned to music once again to share their journey of truly accepting their life circumstances, which once again became harrowing in certain respects, in order to truly accept themselves.

After learning how to play the synthesizers and making connections forged in the supportive songwriting community School of Song, Mallory gained enough confidence to begin recording music as Carry The Branches. They connected with fellow Brooklyn-based musician and producer, Cody Fitzgerald, who also works as a film composer and plays in the band Stolen Jars. Together, they created 14 tunes, which are grouped into three EPs, including ‘Zombie Telegram.’

‘Zombie Telegram’s most memorable and emotionally relatable track is its third entry, ‘Small Everyone,’ which will be released today, August 4 as the project’s first single. Mallory continues the collection’s notable cinematic soundscape on the tune as they infuse deeply confessional lyrics about their recent relationships struggles into the track.

After starting off as a love song, it evolved into a melancholic recollection of when their relationship entered a difficult stage. The singer delves into an emotionally insightful introspective into how romantic partners can eventually overcome their differences and once again honor and celebrate each other after putting in the work on their connection.

Under their new debut solo project of Carry The Branches, Mallory thrives in sharing the challenges they’ve faced during the most difficult times in their life. While not all listeners will completely understand those obstacles, such as growing up in a cult, the musician still thrives crafting deeply confessional lyrics that chronicle overall relationships struggles and childhood trauma. With a pulsating beat of chamber psych-indie-pop-rock synths, drum beats and guitar riffs, ‘Zombie Telegram’ is a thrilling, high intensity collection of songs that thrive on surprising universal appeal.

For more information on Carry The Branches, visit their official website, as well as their Instagram page.