Julia-Sophie is the singer of Candy Says and Little Fish, two groups with millions of Spotify streams and past tours with acts like Blondie, Courtney Love and Juliette Lewis. The artist released her first solo work in 2020 to acclaim from The Quietus, Bandcamp Daily, The Line of Best Fit, BBC Radio 6 Music and BBC Radio 1. Her most recent solo project is a debut album titled "forgive too slow," released on July 26 through Ba Da Bing Records.
“My journey with music has been weird and long,” the artist said in a provided press release. “I think people assumed that the music I made was exactly what I intended to make when it’s always just been me trying to figure it out. Being a solo artist has allowed me to really find myself and show who I am in all my messy states.”
The Anglo-French artist's recent album explores electronic pop and maintains her avant-garde style while experimenting with darker themes than her past work has allowed. Each song features an intense techno percussion beat paired with hauntingly vulnerable lyrics unpacking her past relationships, motherhood, grief and self-discovery. The album’s central theme is encapsulated in its title — a 45-minute dive into what happens when forgiveness is not willingly given and self-destructive cycles start to take over.
The album was preceded by three lead singles: "numb," "telephone" and "wishful thinking." The latter of the three stands out from the rest of the album as the most pop-sounding track, a drastic difference from the twisted techno sounds of the other nine numbers. "telephone" brings the album to a close, ending it perfectly on a hopeful and cinematic note with a lingering twinge of uncertainty and unresolved desire.
“The song 'numb' is my attempt to express the chaotic thoughts I have swirling in my heart and head, dreaming of ways I could live, love and be free,” the artist said in a provided press release.
"numb" is composed of spoken word verses and intense rhythmic percussion. The juxtaposition of the two provides a metaphor for the numbness Julia-Sophie sings about. The resigned vocals against an intense and overwhelming backdrop allude to a feeling of despair against insurmountable odds. The track ends with an intense tapestry of techno themes with haunting whispers in the background, also fitting within the track’s context.
"forgive too slow" is riddled with the influence of artists adjacent to Julia-Sophie’s style, from the distinctly Lana Del Rey-esque melody of "falling" to the lovechild of Cigarettes After Sex and Beach House that is "2:00am."
Highlights off the album include "i was only" and “just us.” Both tracks feature a similar type of percussion, but they vastly differ in energy. "i was only" features repetition in the jarring instrumental background and layered vocals, tied together through the electronic percussion to drive home a central point. The repeated lyric “I was only falling in love with you” amid a chaotic instrumental tapestry tells an age-old story of the unsuspecting romantic falling down a rabbit hole of problems and chaos when facing the seemingly innocent task of falling in love.
"just us" is featured near the end of the album and offers a welcomed shift to a softer sound after the intense industrial energy of the album’s middle. The song features detached musings and quiet lamentations the artist sounds almost afraid to put into words. The instrumentals grow throughout the song until they almost drown out her soft voice, which maintains a consistent dynamic throughout the whole album.
Julia-Sophie’s career has already seen some impressive accomplishments, and it is just getting started. The aesthetic generated by her debut album is distinct and reminiscent of some of the greatest names in the genre, signifying a bright future in whatever style the artist chooses to pursue.
