Sophie Ellis-Bextor has been making music for 16 years. She is the name behind smash hits such as ‘Murder On The Dancefloor’, ‘Music Gets The Best Of Me’ and ‘Catch You’ and has just released her sixth studio album ‘Familia’ which includes the new single ‘Come With Us’.
Music has evolved drastically since Sophie appeared on Spiller’s smash hit “Groovejet (If This Ain’t Love)” back in the year 2000 and with that, Sophie has evolved her sound from a pop/dance focus to a more adult contemporary sound which has worked in her favour. Sophie has a unique tone to her voice and effortlessly puts her vocals on full display on this record. What I love about her music is how real, raw and honest it sounds. The emotions pour out of each and every word while still allowing the song to fall within the pop category.
Instrumentally, the album is full. Sophie and the production team have focused on the tiny details and added many small elements to fill the tracks out. Sophie has experimented with a variety of different sub-genres and sounds within the indie pop sound she has decided to take on the record, making ‘Familia’ a refreshing album to listen to. It’s almost as if Sophie set herself free in the studio. It’s just Sophie making calculated music that speaks to her soul and when an artist does that, magic happens.
This isn’t an album that will top charts – and Sophie knows this. Instead, the singer has owned the fact that she wants to make more organic music instead of following the recipe commercial pop stars abide by. The singer understands both her strengths and weaknesses and uses them both to her advantage.
However, there are parts on the record which feel dated. I would have liked to see the singer add more modern elements to her songs and test her creativity. Despite this, ‘Familia’ is another good album from the singer. Sophie is incredibly underrated and a talented musician. Sure, it’s not a perfect record, but it’s definitely an enjoyable one.
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