After a trilogy of EPs ‘y?’, ‘</3’ and ‘it feels like thunder’, Anglo-French singer-songwriter Julia-Sophie Walker releases her debut album ‘forgive too slow’.

It’s been a long artistic journey for her having almost attained mainstream major label success as a member of rock band LITTLE FISH. But when that collapsed and an attempted reconfiguration as the more cerebral CANDY SAYS stalled, Julia-Sophie became disillusioned with the draining roller coaster of the music industry. Retreating into an independent DIY environment, to create music for the sake of making music, ‘forgive too slow’ is a deeply personal reflection on past relationships.

With her anguished vocals, these gently emotive songs combine traditional composition and experimental sound synthesis. The trip starts at ‘2am’ but as subtle beats stutter, ‘i was only’ heads into a haunting self-appraisal of life and longing, given extra poignancy by the addition of Gallic prose. Also an intense number, ‘lose my mind’ has these buzzy rumbles and skippy rhythms that illustrates its title.

A marvellous avant pop set piece, ‘numb’ is a striking statement with mantric rumbles before a frantic gallop takes hold where sung and spoken passages alternate with a fractured intensity. ‘falling’ to a minimal backdrop and eerily forlorn, this all recalls Emika as the train gathers pace, while ‘comfort you’ has contrasting moods with frantic beats and heavy drones sitting next to parts that are almost acapella.

‘just us’ is smothered in the otherworldliness of GOLDFRAPP’s ‘Felt Mountain’ and is even shoegazey in places, but comparative relief comes with ‘wishful thinking’ which is more like a catchy electronic pop song.

As she wants things to be ‘better’, there are signs of resignation as the beats get harder. Closing with the emotive longing of ‘telephone’, overtones of I AM SNOW ANGEL are captured on this rich ballad where gentle glassy texturing ably illustrate her fragility.

While this record is sad and despondent in the way that the late Françoise Hardy always seemed, Julia-Sophie does have hope on the horizon in her style of absorbing avant pop. One moment these songs can be ambient, then rhythmically skippy, then airy pop while sung in English and then spoken in French, each presents its own world weary character connected by Julia-Sophie’s fraught narrative.

Julie-Sophie said in an interview with ELECTRICITYCLUB.CO.UK: “Finishing and releasing ‘forgive too slow’ feels quite exposing. This album delves deeper into the complexities of relationships than anything I’ve done before, exploring themes of self-destruction, tenderness, love, and emotional struggles.”

This is what happens when people ‘forgive too slow’ and become trapped in their past, but does Julia-Sophie solve her woes? Maybe not yet and while she remains embroiled in pain, catharsis comes in this musical life laundry. Swathed in an intriguing electronic sound, her understated fulfilment combines emotional unease with an airy beauty for some satisfying thoughtful listening.

‘forgive too slow’ is released on 26 July 2024 by Ba Da Bing Records as a turquoise vinyl coloured LP + download, available from https://juliasophie.bandcamp.com/

Julia-Sophie plays London Dalston Victoria on Wednesday 31 July, Oxford Common Ground on Thursday 1st August and Oxford Truck on Saturday 3 August 2024

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Text by Chi Ming Lai
Photos by Siobhan Cox
24 July 2024