Fazerdaze – Soft Power (Buttrfly Records) (13th Floor Album Review)

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With Soft Power, Fazerdaze Amelia Murray re-emerges with a bolder, darker sound that captures the intensity and clarity found in self-reflection and growth, as well as listening to, and absorbing War on Drugs and The Cure.

Departing from the more dreamlike lo-fi of her debut, 2017’s Morningside, Murray’s second album leans into punchy guitar riffs, taut rhythms, and lyrical themes that cut to the heart of personal transformation. The result is an album that feels like both a release and a reckoning, as Murray channels life’s recent challenges into music that resonates with grit and honesty.

FazerdazeThe title track, Soft Power, opens the album with a reflective tone, its restrained beats and delicate melodies offering a subtle introduction to the journey that unfolds. Here, Murray’s vocals, set a contemplative mood, drawing listeners in as she reflects on the push and pull of vulnerability and resilience. This track’s understated approach mirrors the album’s broader themes, introducing a more grounded Fazerdaze while hinting at the fiercer energy yet to come.

Bigger and So Easy showcase Murray’s evolution from her debut, with layered instrumentals and sharper, edgier production. The lyrics of Bigger explore the tension between reality and aspirations “We’re caught between This life and dream But you and me We’re bigger Let’s try and figure this out”   The steady, driving beat complements the lyrics about ambition, struggle, and finding strength. Murray’s vocals are front and centre, no longer hiding behind the reverb-drenched textures of her earlier work.

The album’s middle section shines with In Blue, a track that combines Fazerdaze’s knack for melody with a subdued, almost melancholic tone. The song’s atmospheric layers and introspective lyrics convey the mood of someone wrestling with self-doubt and acceptance. It adds additional shade to the album’s narrative arc, and prepares listeners for the enjoyable Dancing Years whose title reflects the song’s groove.

Then there’s Cherry Pie, a standout with a lighter, playful melody and catchy chorus, the song explores themes of fleeting love, growing up, and emotional changes with a touch of irony. Cherry Pie has an intriguing official video that builds on the lyric “there’s a silence breathing through the car” by following the protagonist on an atmospherically lit car journey to symbolise a personal journey of change.

The layered synths and delicate melody of closing track, City Glitter, provide a cathartic release. Murray’s lyrics capture the album’s mix of melancholy and optimism. As the soundscape builds, it provides a sense of letting go, a hopeful note to end on, suggesting that amid life’s struggles, there is beauty in letting go, expanding, and moving forward.

Soft Power is an album of transformation, both personally and musically, as Murray sheds her earlier lo-fi textures for a more defined, assertive sound. The introspective lyrics, sharpened production, and dynamic rhythms embrace strength and vulnerability.

Fazerdaze’s journey from the intimate reflections of Morningside to the assured declarations of Soft Power is one of personal growth and musical evolution,—a testament to Murray’s resilience and artistry. It is a powerful reintroduction, leaving us eager to see where her next steps will take her.

John Bradbury

Fazerdaze – Soft Power is released Friday, November 15th

Available for Pre Order HERE

 

 

John Bradbury
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