Battling conflicting emotions through the medium of music, Soccer Mommy's latest album sees Sophie Allison ascend to a new level.

Words: Jack Press. Photos: Sophie Hur.

As a bearded, beanie-wearing Mercury Prize winner once sang, "songs are never quite the answer, just a soundtrack to a life" [ask your parents - Ed].

For Sophie Allison, aka Soccer Mommy, 2018 debut 'Clean' captured the breezy carelessness of coming of age, while 2020's 'Color Theory' was a melancholic mediation on the growing pains of getting older, wrapping its warmth around weighty topics such as anxiety, depression, and the void. As she turns 24, a pandemic under her belt and a new album imminent, what is Soccer Mommy singing about on 'Sometimes, Forever'?

Pulling no punches in its delivery, 'Sometimes, Forever' is a feverish flirtation with the duality of life. Whether it's desire and apathy, ecstasy and misery, good and evil, or self-control and wildness, Sophie is battling through the emotions she's been bottling up.

"I was all over the place", she quips, exploding in laughter before composing herself. "It took a year and a half to write, so there are lots of different emotions and feelings. There are all these highs and lows. There are feelings of hope and hopelessness, feeling like the world is disappointing. There are times when it's talking about the beautiful things in life.

Sophie's no stranger to the tug of war life's thrown her way. Having released 'Clean' at the tender age of 20, she's practically felt the push and pull of the public eye every day since. While there's no denying she's living her dream, 'Sometimes, Forever' doesn't shy away from criticising it, either.

Brooding industrial highlight 'Unholy Affliction' shoots its shot straight out the starting gate, chronicling the draining demands of the industry circus she's been sucked into ("I'm tired of all the money and all of the talking at me, I'm barely a person mechanically working"). Is this the life she imagined for herself?

Spinning webs and selling stories is all part of the job, and living a life in the spotlight is as expected as the rising sun. But it's not something Sophie's happy to let idly pass by without comment, nor is it solely a music industry problem.

It's a catch-22. If there are no consumers, there's really no industry. But the current model can leave our artists feeling dehumanised.

With the way Sophie's been feeling, it's no surprise she's been swept up in the confessional poetry of Sylvia Plath. Like Sophie, Plath paid her dues in pop culture, writing about her depression with dry wit. On 'Darkness Forever,' Sophie hauntingly whispers 'head in the oven' as a sly nod to her soul sister.

Tries and succeeds. 'Darkness Forever' is an ominous fever dream, drifting into 90s grunge and sludgy rock tones that collide with gritty industrial synths. While 'Sometimes, Forever' juxtaposes darkness with beauty throughout, it's truly portrayed here.

These fantasies and feelings aren't just lyrical laments. They're written into the fabric of every chord, melody and note. The songs themselves feel like rituals. 'Shotgun' explodes into summery warmth, and 'newdemo''s bubbling electronica is a magical broth.

There's an evolution on 'Sometimes, Forever', too. A shift in its sound that's been slowly developing since 'Clean'. 'Color Theory' went bigger and brighter in scope, but working with The Weeknd and FKA Twigs collaborator Daniel Lopatin (aka Oneohtrix Point Never) on 'Sometimes, Forever' was a wake-up call. In many ways, he became her songwriting spirit guide.

It's that same connection that translates throughout 'Sometimes, Forever'. Ultimately, it's what Sophie hopes the Soccer Mommy faithful find for themselves in it. Like all things she does, it's a duality of decisions.

"I just want people to take what they need to take from it. That's the point of music. I want people to enjoy it in whatever way they need to - whether it's connecting with it on an emotional level, or just having a lot of fun with it." ■

Taken from the July 2022 edition of Dork, out now. Soccer Mommy's album 'Sometimes, Forever' is out now.