Sofie Royer - before/after (Vinyl)

Sofie Royer, "one of Europe's most intriguing underrated pop stars, with a captivating voice and an offbeat aristocratic glamour" (The Guardian), is back with a new album.Having released three acclaimed LPs, the Viennese musician's songwriting and production have become more complex and polished, her lyrics sharper and funnier. Before/after is her most incisive record to date, confronting the gripes of being an artist and weaving self-excavation with cultural commentary. Sofie may have gone from lo-fi producer to a bona fide pop musician who's opened for Lana Del Rey, Air and LCD Soundsystem, but she still doesn't know where she fits in. She pulls no punches when critiquing the music industry - "I'm too pop for the art world, too indie darling for the mainstream" - but saves her biggest swings for herself. Over 12 catchy pop songs, Royer wonders if conflicts between past and future aren't just battles with our own selves. "We are constantly in a battle with the 'pre' and 'post' states of time," she explains. "There is a preoccupation with these two tenses; yet by remaining entangled in these states, we are often our own greatest obstacle to overcome. Really, in the state of before/after, it's always you vs you."