Between Fixed Water and The Infinite Circle Sophia played their first performance in Copenhagen which was recorded by Danish National Radio. Earlier in 2017 with the assistance of a friend, Robin Proper-Sheppard made the recording available for everyone to hear.

The performance is a combination of songs from Fixed Water, as well as songs that would see their release on The Infinite Circle. It works mostly as a document of a band in a semi-transitional phase. Some of the earlier versions of the (then) newer songs sound quite developed whereas others sound like there’s a bit more work required. With that being said, there’s a clear idea of how the songs would be shaped and they still work very well atmosphere and sound-wise.

Although it is slightly imbalanced in parts, the mix is fairly even for all the instruments. The clarity of the performance is excellent the whole way through the recording. As many of Sophia’s songs rely more on the subtleties and textures of the music, especially the ones presented here, this is a significant benefit. So much of what makes the songs work would be lost if one instrument was often taking over the songs.

The vocals aren’t as developed as they have become, both recorded and live, but they are still strong. There’s a sense that Robin Proper-Sheppard was searching for how his voice worked with this form of music, but it doesn’t come off as being lost or uncertain. He knows how to carry his voice and has an idea of how it works, delivering lyrics of morose and sad subject matter that could very easily come off as dramatic whinging with conviction that makes them seem honest and believable without wallowing in the misery.

If there’s anything that Live at Stengade… does, it shows Sophia at a transitional stage. It works well as a record of a time between albums when Sophia were working toward something new and slightly different. It’s an excellently captured performance that may get them new fans, but is mostly for those already into their music. This could have ended up being bad, but it is not. It is an excellent live album.