Soko
Being Sad Is Not A Crime
Because Music/Caroline
Soko is back and she’s written us a tune about being down in the dumps and welcoming it. The LA-based French singer took a small break from releasing music during which she gave birth to a baby boy, Indigo Blue, in late 2018. She returns to making tunes with Being Sad Is Not A Crime, a track which demonstrates a lot of Soko’s strengths, leaning more towards jangle pop than her earlier releases; the indie-pop presence in her music has been on an upward trajectory and continues to climb with this latest release.
Being Sad is Not a Crime is a slinky song with guitar riffs and smooth synths swirling through Soko’s vocals, which are crisp and smoky simultaneously. This latest release follows the style of her 2018 track Diablo Menthe. The dreamy retro-pop style pokes at a nostalgic feeling and reinforces her lyrics.
A huge component of Soko’s art is her emotionally driven lyrics; she’s not afraid of her feelings and showcases a rawness which engenders people to identify with her music. “You shouldn’t have to apologise for having emotions/ As long as you’re not hurting anyone, all emotions should always be welcome,” is an attitude reflected within Being Sad Is Not A Crime, but also in her entire approach to lyric writing throughout her career.
The accompanying music video is the first Soko hasn’t directed herself. Instead, Gilbert Trejo created a beautiful filmclip which concerns itself with the pressure on people to have a marionette-like control over their emotions. Starring Soko’s baby boy, the video clip touches on the divide between motherhood and work and how the systems provide inefficient support for people in these situations. Check it out below.
Being Sad is Not a Crime is a taster off her third studio album, produced by Patrick Wimberly and mixed by Chris Coady and set to be released later this year.
EMMA PEET
