SOHN (born Christopher Taylor) is an English musician, songwriter and produ… Read Full Bio ↴SOHN (born Christopher Taylor) is an English musician, songwriter and producer based in Vienna, Austria. Born in South London and taught to play guitar and piano, Taylor relocated to Vienna in 2010. After dissolving his previous project Trouble Over Tokyo in 2012, Taylor began releasing new music (Oscillate and Warnings) via Soundcloud under the pseudonym SOHN. Aesop announced he would release an EP, and released tracks The Wheel and Red Lines which earned critical acclaim for their vocal melodies and precise production. The Wheel EP was released in November 2012 and reached #18 on the Amazing Radio Top 40.

In April 2013, Taylor signed to 4AD. His first release through 4AD, Bloodflows, reached #1 on the Amazing Radio chart. In September, follow up track Lessons was released with an Olivier Groulx-directed, Dazed & Confused-premiered music video. In April 2014, debut album Tremors was released with lead single Artifice. The album charted in several European countries and received favorable reviews.

After temporarily trading Vienna for Northern California, SOHN spent several months alone writing and recording the ten tracks which form his sophomore LP 'Rennen' (January 2017). The album was preceded by 'Signal' and 'Conrad'.

Along with his own work, Taylor has also worked with other artists - writing and producing Banks's Alibi and Waiting Game, remixing Lana Del Rey's Ride, and producing songs on Rita Ora's new album.

Ransom Notes
SOHN Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

There was a time
When the mountains kept their place
They stood in line
And they waited back the gaze

No one could see
No terrain now is a rock
No feet could find

Near the heart of old road bluff

The hills are worn
The place about growing pains
The earths are closed
The mountains had their way

The kids have grown
And they watched it from above
Now I???m alone
And I see no way to run

We float on the breeze
We are held to a ransom
We are bones on the riffs
Waiting for the waves, the waves

We float on the breeze
We are held to a ransom
We are bones on the riffs
Waiting for the waves, the waves

We float
We are bones

We float on the breeze
We are held to a ransom

We are bones on the riffs
Waiting for the waves, the waves

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of SOHN's "Ransom Notes" paint a picture of change and the passage of time. The opening lines talk about a time when the mountains were steadfast and unchanging. However, as time passed, the mountains gave way to erosion and became worn down. This is a metaphor for the changes that happen around us as we grow older, and the way that the things we may have taken for granted can become altered or completely disappear.

The lyrics go on to talk about the idea of being "held to a ransom," which suggests a feeling of powerlessness. The singer feels like they are at the mercy of external forces and must wait for something to happen. The repetition of the phrase "we are bones on the riffs" adds to this sense of being stranded and unable to move forward.

Overall, the song explores the notion of impermanence and our inability to stop change. It acknowledges the feelings of fear and uncertainty that can come with this realization, but it also encourages acceptance and resilience in the face of the unknown.

Line by Line Meaning

There was a time
In the past, there existed a time

When the mountains kept their place
The mountains remained in their respective positions

They stood in line
The mountains were arranged in an orderly manner

And they waited back the gaze
They patiently waited for someone to look at them

No one could see
No one was able to observe

No terrain now is a rock
The landscape has transformed and is no longer made up of rocks

No feet could find
It is difficult for anyone to locate

Near the heart of old road bluff
In the vicinity of the ancient path's ridge

The hills are worn
The hills have become damaged through usage

The place about growing pains
The location experiences physical discomfort as it expands

The earths are closed
The earth has become sealed off