Fazerdaze
Soft Power
SECTION1
At one point there was uncertainty as to whether there would ever be another Fazerdaze album. 2017’s Morningside introduced us to the sunny songwriting of Amelia Murray, who invited us into her introverted world across the debut’s 10 tracks. Its half-hour runtime felt like just a brief introduction to a meticulously melodic dream-pop artist who we wouldn’t hear from again until 2022’s Break! EP, likely due to Murray spending the late 2010s navigating a dysfunctional relationship, burnout, and mental health issues—all of which she’s spoken about candidly on social media.
All of this left her looking to reconnect with her sense of self, and creating Soft Power was a big part of that. “There a beauty in the quiet side of me” she sings on the title track, one of various self-revelations she states across the album. In fact, we find ourselves rooting for Murray almost as an underdog throughout Soft Power. She describes feeling suffocated in a relationship, witnessing her best years being taken from her while desiring something tangible to hold onto. Listening to Soft Power is hearing Murray slowly reveal more of herself over time, and that’s arguably the most impactful aspect of the record as you can genuinely put yourself in her shoes and resonate with that pain.
Where Morningside was understated, Soft Power makes a conscious effort to be louder, to embody the traits Murray feels she quashed while overcoming her insecurities. “So Easy” is a slice of Passion Pit–esque synthpop, a bouncing melody surrounded by honey-sweet droplets of synth. The album’s biggest anthem is “Cherry Pie,” its sleekness reminiscent of ’80s pop as it builds delightfully to a chorus that’s chantable by design, ready to deliver the euphoric lynchpin of a live set. These bolder moments mirror Murray’s newfound confidence, with “Cherry Pie” in particular reflecting her desire to reclaim the instinctual habits of youth. There’s a great balance between Murray’s old and new selves: Her introverted nature has her writing empathetically and in a way that’s easily engaging, while the louder soundscape speaks to the sense of freedom she’s achieved now that her personal circumstances are improving.
Soft Power as a whole is a satisfying journey as Murray’s story unravels, though some tracks may not be as memorable on a standalone basis—“Purple” and “Sleeper,” for example, feel like they tread ground that’s better explored on other songs on the record. Yet there’s no doubt that Fazerdaze is continuing to build on the early promise heard on Morningside, and Soft Power is a welcome return for an artist who produces some really intriguing and immersive synthpop sounds.
