New Music: Julia-Sophie – wishful thinking

Oxford-based Julia-Sophie has had a varied career, from garage rockers Little Fish to electropop outfit Candy Says, embracing motherhood along the way.

A series of solo EPs in recent years now sees her ready to share her debut solo album forgive too slow with the world. With its wistful vocals and richly woven electronica, new single wishful thinking is likely to be just one of the album’s many musical highlights.

It’s not easy to give electronic music the level of warmth and soulfulness that we associate with indie music, but Julia-Sophie proves here that she has what it takes to do just that.

An autumnal feel pervades the song, golden colours reflecting how emotions and circumstances change when the bright summer warmth of a relationship in full bloom slowly begin to fade.    

She reveals, “wishful thinking is about loving someone so deeply but realising that loving them isn’t enough. I know I’m not an easy person to be with, and loving me causes hurt, so sometimes I have to let someone go in order to stop hurting them. Once I’m alone, I’m left with the question: why is it so hard for me to love freely?”

She adds about her path to releasing the album, “My journey with music has been weird and long. 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.”

To tie in with the release of forgive too slow, Julia-Sophie plays a series of live events including The Victoria in Dalston on the 31st of July. The album is out on the 26th of July via Ba Da Bing! Records and the limited-edition vinyl format of the LP is already close to selling out on Bandcamp.

For gig and album news, as well as further streaming options for wishful thinking and forgive too slow, be sure to like and follow Julia-Sophie on Facebook or Instagram. There’s also a Bandcamp listening party on the day of release.