Bobby EP by Sonnet

Sonnet continues his creative surge with the Bobby EP, released via 1 More Thing on 12 December 2025. Following his summer breakthrough with the Melon EP, the Bristol-based producer closes out his debut year with a release that shows both refinement and reckless abandon. Across three tracks, Bobby, I Need and Vita, Sonnet locks into a sound that’s as volatile as it is vividly sculpted. Pendulum’s Rob Swire recently described it as “Noisia collaborating with 2010 Skrillex and a labubu… in a good way.” That unlikely but telling comparison captures the energy at the core of this record: a sweetly chaotic collision between euphoria and aggression.

The opening track Bobby sets the tone with a deceptive calm that quickly spirals into tension. The tune’s emotional introduction gives way to a glossy, glass-cut riff that snaps and rebounds with mechanical precision. There’s a sense of humour here too as squelching laser bursts and fizzy fills punctuate the drop, nodding to early jump-up’s playful excess while staying rooted in modern sound design. What makes it work is Sonnet’s balance: he understands contrast, using brightness to amplify the darkness that sits just beneath. The mix is clean yet raw, the sort of engineering that feels alive on a system without crossing into overcompression. DJs looking for an energetic mid-set pivot will find this one invaluable.

I Need follows as the EP’s most highly charged moment. Its rolling build-up carries a sense of urgency that’s rare in such polished production. The track feels purpose-built for the club, yet its emotional undertow hints at something more personal. The vocal snippets are cut and looped like fractured memories, the tension swelling into a drop that lands with controlled chaos. It’s the kind of tune that can function anywhere in a set, as an opener, a closer, or a rogue weapon to reset the energy mid-flow. There’s bite, focus and intent, all wrapped in that unmistakable Sonnet clarity. You can hear the fingerprints of producers like Mefjus or The Caracal Project in the precision, but Sonnet’s execution feels instinctive rather than imitative.

Closing track Vita rounds off the release with a surge of melodic power. The riff dominates, bold yet flexible, flicking between clean leads and distorted layers that chew through the low end. It’s a piece that dances between brutalism and beauty with the sort of emotional, synthetic melancholy that UK producers do best. The faintly eerie vocal textures add a ghostly character, almost cute in tone but twisted on closer inspection, mirroring the “cute but corrupted” energy that defines Sonnet’s sonic identity. There are traces of continental influence here too, nodding toward the raw digitalism of Belgium and the Netherlands without losing the distinctly British edge. It’s this international awareness combined with homegrown grit that gives the EP its staying power.

On a broader level, the Bobby EP feels like a statement. Where the Melon EP hinted at potential, this release confirms it. Sonnet has tightened his production without losing spontaneity, translating the wild, meme-era humour of internet culture into credible club music. The textures are glossy, but the ideas are dirty; the melodies are catchy, but the energy is chaotic. That tension gives the music its pulse. There’s a knowing wink in every drop, a refusal to sit neatly within one subgenre. Jump-up, neuro, EDM and even a touch of UK bass all coexist here, but the result feels cohesive. An aesthetic rather than a formula.

1 More Thing deserves credit too. The label continues to act as an incubator for artists pushing the culture’s boundaries while staying fiercely independent. Their willingness to spotlight fresh UK names like Sonnet has become part of their identity. Each release is a snapshot of where drum & bass is going, not where it’s been. With Bobby EP, they’ve captured an artist right at the moment his sound clicks into focus - that rare point where experimentation becomes definition.

As 2025 wraps up, Sonnet sits in an enviable position: credible among producers, adored by fans, and already shaping a hybrid sound that connects the dots between dancefloor chaos and emotional storytelling. If this EP is the sign-off for his first year, 2026 could be the breakout. The promise hinted at in Melon has turned into something undeniable. Proof that in an era of algorithmic sameness, personality still cuts through. What he’s packing for next year remains to be heard, but the trajectory is unmistakable. Keep watching; this is just the beginning.

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