Sophie and Me
And
Finally . . . In This Space and Time
(Self – Released digital)
Wowza! This three song single kicked off 2025 in spectacular fashion and it’s a soothing balm in the face of 2025 otherwise starting off like a tragic nightmare. These songs have created a melancholy orchestral drama to help guide us through these rough times.
I became aware of Sophie and Me late last summer via a four song B-side collection named Who Cares B-Sides, which is so great that it amazed me that these dream poppers would share them almost as an afterthought. These are fully developed excellent songs. They’ve released a few more singles since, and the quality remains high. They are quickly becoming a favorite! This newest release, the digital single on Bandcamp And finally…In This Space and Time, is described as forgotten unfinished tracks. However these three songs are all epic emotional vistas.
The nearly seven minute “We Are One (Part I & II)” opens this with an incredibly dramatic journey that takes us through lows and highs of a relationship as the music swells and builds into buzzing guitars and crashing drums, while a comforting keyboard hook soothes us back into a quiet reflective finale, where Sophie Brightman’s sweet voice finds solacby assessing the situation through a lens of being in the moment, and realizing that those highs and lows all can balance out. It’s a remarkable journey and a brilliant timeless song.
“Change the World” is the pop song of these three with its piano led breaks between choruses. It’s a hopeful and positive message and a fun listen.
Lastly, “When I Go Back” is another quiet drama whose instrumental buildup (with keyboards that remind of Pink Floyd’s keyboardist Richard Wright on Dark Side of the Moon) pays off with a meandering beat and a restless reflection of the inherent conflicts with returning to a former home. Javier Manriquedelara’s instrumentation is a revelation, as everything is in its right place.
When I purchased this, I did so
unheard. The quality of the previous
release earned them that, so when I first listened, I was floored by its
excellence. The emotional depth of the
songs here is achingly beautiful. Once
you hear them, you’ll know what I mean. My
silly words do not do these songs any justice.
This has to be listened to.
(https://sophieandme.bandcamp.com/album/and-finally-in-this-space-and-time)
