Sofie Royer goes timeless on Young-Girl Forever

Similar in many respects to the Postal Service or the Knife, the Austrian-born music artist always shows an aspiration to blend pop song structure with an intelligent kind of subtext. Her studies in philosophy and psychology in the University of Vienna and another degree in painting from the University of Applied Arts enables her to branch out into several genres already. On her 2020 studio debut Cult Survivor, she turned toward the poetry of French chanson. 2022 saw her adopt a more classical approach with Viennese opera on Harlequin. Consuming both of the albums was her postmodern use of electropop and synth-pop.

Young-Girl Forever proves itself to be no different, having been inspired by anarchist theories surrounding a commodified representation of young women and electroclash’s recitative vocal performance. The titular “Young-Girl” highlights the symbolic societal restraint placed on female young adults or those in their early thirties like Royer whose everyday lifestyle incidentally enforces her need to rely on femininity. This idea is expressed with a fervour especially on tracks like the lead single “(Young-Girl) Illusion”, which espoused that women should only smile; “Indoor Sport”, which criticises how modern dating feels more like a shallow competition; or “I Forgot (I’m So Young)”, that fixates on our fantasies around youthfulness.

All three mentioned songs, in addition to being electropop materials, are backed by a punk-like leaning as if to signify some resistance against the mainstream. Both the traditional form of femininity for the “Young-Girl” archetype and the trendiness of pop songs are in a way subverted by the masculine associations of indie rock. “Saturdee Nite” contains a prominent guitar riff that’s reminiscent of new wave alongside a digitised alteration of the vocals near the end of the song. “Lights out baby, entropy!” sets its percussion without any kind of cymbal which makes for a more militaristic focus on escapism. Then, there’s the breathlessness in the reverbs surrounding “Keep Running”; a choice which feels befitting to the song title.

Some of the biggest highlights on the album is when the synth influence kicks in, adding a melancholic feeling to the theme of the “Young-Girl” archetype. The deep bassline and forlorn horn-like notes penetrate “Babydoll” where the occasional turn to French only makes the track feel more bittersweet at best. “Ghost Town” takes on a more downtempo beat which brings into light the symbolic performativity of following the same acts of femininity as others before you. The two songs showcase the malleability of being a young female, even one who is just about slightly older into their thirties like Royer. They are both defiant in its desire to subvert everyday exploration of feminism and prideful in the shifting traits of what being a woman means. Being a woman feels empowering precisely because it evolves so much throughout the last thirty years with youth culture having cemented itself as a powerhouse for entertainment targeting.

There are songs done in different languages like the German “Nichts Neues im Westen” and “Fassbinder” or the French “Sage Comme Une Image” alongside one short song in “Tigerbunny”. Barring some bits of compliments be it its danceability or roughed-up riffs, they all add up to one bit of fact. Royer is someone who feels underrated for her creative insights into the world of art pop. Much like Charli XCX, she commentates on modern living underneath all the electronic notes and deep synths. Yet, she sought to make use of her academic credence and knowledge to make Young-Girl Forever worthwhile even to those who rarely listen to pop music itself.

A rare treasure to behold, Young-Girl Forever has a real chance at going down as one of the underappreciated greats of the 2020s. Even though there is one mishap where its intellectual direction might mess up the rhythm of certain songs like the echoes in “Young-Girl (Illusion)”, it never lingers on for more than a few seconds. Otherwise, Sofie Royer deserves a lot more recognition for her work. Maybe one day she will be known for her thoughtful takes amidst the highly produced layers of electronica like LCD Soundsystem whom she once opened for.