It’s tempting to think about the sequencing as a queering of custom, with a gap part of principally noise and spoken-word sci-fi ruminations to preemptively drag any worries of “the troublesome second album” syndrome. But it’s additionally structured in the usual dance music “huge 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 strengthened by the grouping of varied tracks made with the identical collaborators. Perhaps this can be a manner of emphasizing her perception in them; possibly it’s like a runway present, when a designer sends all of the yellow clothes out collectively. Someway, it units them into competitors. Take the second facet’s bunch of BC Kingdom collabs. Every takes on the sort of syncopated organ base which has been a dance-pop constructing block since not less than “Present Me Love.” “Purpose Why” is the trap-pop model, “Stay In My Fact” rings out with early 2000s R&B sass, and “Why Lies” brings a freestyle beat to the occasion.
Lined up in a row, you form of simply need to pull one off the stage with a giant hook. “Stay In My Fact” is all party-hearty aphorisms and, hear: The stakes of celebrating are too typically life-and-death for queer, and particularly trans, folks. Typically we get eye-watering monuments to resilience and pleasure on a observe 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 can be so dumb you simply should sing alongside. As for the glistening if sluggish “Purpose 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 dwell, like a DJ making mixes. It sounds that manner. If SOPHIE’s finest work typically performed prefer it was beamed totally from her mind, tracks like “Magnificence” and “One Extra Time,” each that includes Popstar, present their hand rather more—their BPMs slide round, their beats crossfade, they signify the lengthy custom of knob twiddling. Tracks additionally look again: “Gallop” is just a little 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 had 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.”