Supergroup Coined (Fine & Astrid Sonne) Shine in Live Debut [PENNY 4.2]
- Michelle McCracken
- 5 hours ago
- 2 min read
Show Review and Photos by Michelle McCracken
This piece originates from the brand new Penny print issue, Penny 4.2. Find links to read the printed version below, with this piece starting on page 20.
Fine Glindvad Jensen is a singer and producer, better known as Fine, who made her solo debut with 2024’s cool and drowsy Rocky Top Ballads. Astrid Sonne is a violist and the electro-pop star behind Great Doubt, one of the best reviewed albums of 2024. Together they are many things: two friends brought together by Copenhagen’s Rhythmic Music Conservatory, two composers sharing influences, and two musicians embarking on a sonic partnership called Coined, the surprise leftfield pop collaboration that’s had fans of the two buzzing.
Despite generating chat in recent years individually, Coined has been operating on a near-invisible level, with limited press and even fewer songs available to fans. To date they have officially released “Your House” in the summer of 2024 as part of a compilation from south London imprint Scenic Route. The single, an ethereal, pulsing, and beautiful debut, was enough to make fans wonder what’s next. Finally, nearly a year after the release, a Coined show in London was announced for April, a live debut 10 months after the duo’s first introduction.
The show was unsurprisingly sold out, though this did not stop fans from taking to Reddit to ask for unwanted tickets the day of. Over 350 people gathered at the Institute of Contemporary Art, unsure of what was to come but buzzing for at minimum a set’s worth of music from the two.
The show was a quick 45-minute display of clear complementary craft. Both standing behind stands, the show started with a swell synth, keyboards, and drums, with near-silence in between some of the songs. Sonne occasionally walked around playing her viola, with Fine splitting singing, keyboard, and synth duties. Sonne eventually admitted that the two had written most of the songs in the last couple of weeks so that they would have enough for a show, but without this anecdote the songs would appear so cohesive that the audience would be none the wiser. The duo of course ended with “Your House,” with Sonne sending us off by probing “I wonder, will you come pick me up again?” over the rhythm-focused production.
And, much in the tradition of Coined, there’s hardly a trace of the show online, which is perhaps how it’s meant to be: a nice little secret that softly welcomes you upon discovery. There’s no word on new music from Sonne any time soon, but given the last two busy years she’s this seems like a well-earned break. Fine, on the other hand, is only gearing up, having just released new single Portal this week, showcasing her strengths: slow-burning, introspective, and languid palettes. With live dates upcoming in Europe, New York City, and Los Angeles this fall, perhaps we’ll be lucky enough to get more new Fine, either solo or as part of Coined.