FunkCity.net is pleased to name ‘Somni’ from Snarky Puppy as my Album of the Year (AOTY). At the risk of being presumptuous, I had it as the odds-on favorite to win right after attending the recording sessions for the album in Utrecht, Netherlands, in January 2025. It was simply that magnificent—not only for this year but over the long run. I feel that this album will be listed as one of the greats long into the future and will likely win a minimum of one Grammy in 2027 (it was released after this year’s cutoff).
The enormous effort of the musicians, recording team (audio and video), and production is on a scale rarely seen, and I can’t imagine anything topping this. There are now five tracks (of the total eight) that have videos up on YouTube available to watch, with the remainder coming out over the next few weeks. The album is available on vinyl, Blu-ray video and on streaming services in luxurious Dolby Atmos—this album prompted me to get Atmos-capable speakers!
What’s so exciting is that the tracks were composed with the thought to be played with or without an orchestra, so can’t wait for the upcoming 2026 shows to hear them live once again. My intro to the full ‘Somni’ album review is below, and the link for track-by-track coverage is there as well. And just below that, you can click on any track in the video gallery to give a listen. Congrats to Snarky Puppy and team on an extraordinary masterpiece.
Snarky Puppy released Somni on November 21, and it’s one of the best albums you’ve ever heard and will ever hear. It’s already on my deserted island list and a certain (multi) Grammy winner. I’m confident that once people hear it, they will be astounded based on its sonic impact, novel approach to melodies and rhythms, range of emotions stirred, musicality, and technical achievements. Now that the superlatives are out there, I’ll offer up the rationale for the buildup.
Somni was recorded with the Metropole Orkest under the direction of Jules Buckley over the course of three days (two sessions per day) in Utrecht, The Netherlands, in January 2025. Sylva is a previously recorded Grammy-winning collaboration between the Pups and MO, and their album covers (right) clearly show the thematic connection. Somni is, however, unique with its cohesive and relatable dream theme. Everyone dreams, and the explanation that Michael League gives for each track (shown in the green boxes) allows the listener a glimpse into his headspace. For me, they serve as launch points, but in no way drive my interpretation which is the way dreams may “Drift” and “Stay With You” for a time.
The tunes are a mix of soft lullabies (Drift, Between Worlds), lively adventures (As You Are But Not As You Were, Recurrent) and comfortable excursions (Waves Upon Waves, It Stays With You, Only Here and Nowhere Else) and one nightmare (Chimera.) Each has its own appeal.
Somni is bound to impact the audience in different ways. As some friends have told me about the first two singles, Waves Upon Waves and Chimera, the songs feel complex and simple at the same time. The best I can explain it is that there are passages where very few notes are played (single piano at the start of Drift comes to mind) and then there are very complex polyrhythms (As You Are…) or multiple layered melodies (It Stays With You). This makes the tracks both relatable and interesting, worth listening over and over. Also, as Michael League stated in a recent YouTube interview, the music of Snarky Puppy is written with melodies fun to listen to and for the band to enjoy performing. That’s highlights another aspect of this collection that is different than Sylva – it was written to be able to be performed by the band on tour, without the MO, so the adaptations for the new tour will be exciting to see.
There were 74 musicians on the album – 20 from Snarky Puppy and 54 from the Metropole Orkest. The mind boggling task of arranging fell to Michael, Jules and two of their colleagues. The plethora of sounds from harp to marimba to every kind of percussion and horn imaginable keeps the music constantly tantalizing.
I’m likely to be the only reviewer that was present for all six recording sessions in Utrecht, so I was able to actually see the recording as it was performed. What was unique about the recording sessions is that each track had a sequential number but was not named at the time. Each session played through all of the tracks in sequence. Only three videos are out so far, with the remaining coming out in the next few weeks. I’ll update this post as they are subsequently revealed.
I think multiple Grammys are in order for composing, arranging, mixing, and anything else that can be imagined. The sessions were truly dreamlike in so many ways. Jules Buckley and Michael, back-to-back on the podium, were like watching a kind of dance with the musicians responding perfectly to every cue. Here’s my Dream-By- Dream coverage of this magnificent album, SOMNI! Enjoy!
