It’s tempting to think about the sequencing as a queering of custom, with a gap part of largely noise and spoken-word sci-fi ruminations to preemptively drag any worries of “the tough second album” syndrome. But it’s additionally structured in the usual dance music “massive evening out” combine, with an ambient starting, vocal pop warmup, deep and drugged-out techno middle, and blissed-out sendoff. Sophie might sequence in each sense of the phrase, however SOPHIE feels preprogrammed.
It’s a sense bolstered by the grouping of varied tracks made with the identical collaborators. Perhaps this can be a method of emphasizing her perception in them; perhaps it’s like a runway present, when a designer sends all of the yellow attire out collectively. One way or the other, it units them into competitors. Take the second facet’s bunch of BC Kingdom collabs. Every takes on the type of syncopated organ base which has been a dance-pop constructing block since a minimum of “Present Me Love.” “Cause Why” is the trap-pop model, “Dwell In My Reality” rings out with early 2000s R&B sass, and “Why Lies” brings a freestyle beat to the celebration.
Lined up in a row, you form of simply wish to pull one off the stage with a giant hook. “Dwell In My Reality” is all party-hearty aphorisms and, hear: The stakes of celebrating are too typically life-and-death for queer, and particularly trans, individuals. Generally we get eye-watering monuments to resilience and pleasure on a monitor like “Immaterial.” Right here, it’s only a hand elevating up a Solo cup. However the candy-coated joie de vivre of “Why Lies” is simple, with lyrics like “Please save the drama to your mama/And your daddy/And your granny” which are so dumb you simply need to sing alongside. As for the glistening if sluggish “Cause Why” and Kim Petras’ “getting cash like a DJ” line, not a lot.
SOPHIE’s brother has mentioned that the album’s techno middle was largely created stay, like a DJ making mixes. It sounds that method. If SOPHIE’s greatest work typically performed prefer it was beamed totally from her mind, tracks like “Class” and “One Extra Time,” each that includes Popstar, present their hand rather more—their BPMs slide round, their beats crossfade, they characterize the lengthy custom of knob twiddling. Tracks additionally look again: “Gallop” is a bit of gabba gem for the generations of girlies who gained’t decelerate, whereas “Berlin Nightmare” frets and struts like prime Inexperienced Velvet. I assume we’ll by no means know if these moments have been her laying breadcrumbs of early influences on her path to someplace new, or simply the pleasure of remembering. Time will inform if any of them are as memorable as, say, “Ponyboy.”
