The trip-hop act Sofa Surfers was founded in 1997 by a quartet of sound-obs… Read Full Bio ↴The trip-hop act Sofa Surfers was founded in 1997 by a quartet of sound-obsessed Viennese instrumentalists: Wolfgang Schlögl, Markus Kienzl, Wolfgang Frisch, and Michael Holzgruber. The group's debut single, "Sofa Rockers," earned a remix from fellow Austrian head Richard Dorfmeister, and their debut album, "Transit", earned wide release through MCA.
"Cargo" and "Constructions: Remixed and Dubbed" followed three years later.

It's fitting that Sofa Surfers, a band not at all afraid to switch up their sound, have entitled their latest album, "Sofa Surfers". It's sound is simple, honest and stripped down to the essence of the band; brooding and melancholy moodiness mixed with an angstful tension that at times comes dangerously close to boiling over.

Sofa Surfers familiar hip-hop/dub style has given way to a minimalized indie rock/R&B/Soul sound using sparsely arranged bass, drum and guitar with an R&B/soul vocal style compliments of Mani Obeya, but it retains the Sofa Surfers well-known personality. Describing this album as sounding "like a hardcore band after the noise has abated" is fair, but don't put too much weight into the "hardcore band" part of that statement because they sound much closer to Massive Attack than any hardcore band I know.

There is an evolution that occurs throughout the album, starting on the melancholy side, moving into angst and then back to melancholy. "White Noise" is a great lead track and soon to be released as the first single off this album.

"Sofa Surfers", an album referred to by the band as "the red album" is an intimate trip into a musical world Wolfgang Schlögl, Markus Kienzl, Michael Holzgruber and Wolfgang Frisch are proud to share, and rightly so; it's nicely written, richly emotional, and hard to define.

Premiere of their latest album "Blindside" is scheduled to 29. January 2010.

Added:
The group then left Klein for Monoscope Productions, which released Blindside in 2010 as well as 2012's Superluminal and 2015's Scrambles, Anthems and Odysseys. Also in 2015, Sofa Surfers provided the music for the crime comedy Das Ewige Leben (Life Eternal). In 2017, Monoscope issued 20, a mix of original songs and reworked favorites in celebration of Sofa Surfers' 20 years together.

21st Century Army
Sofa Surfers Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

On a city street, oh yeah
And I don't want it, the things you're offering me
Symbolized bar code, quick ID oh yeah
'Cause I'm a 21st Century digital boy
I don't know how to read but I've got a lot of toys
My daddy is a lazy middle class intellectual
My mommy's on valium, she's so ineffectual
Ain't life a mystery? I can't explain it

The things they're saying to me
Tt's going yayayayayayaya, oh oh
'Cause I'm a 21st Century digital boy
I don't know how to live but I've got a lot of toys
My daddy is a lazy middle class intellectual
My mommy's on valium, she's so ineffectual
Yeah, I tried to tell you about no control
But now I really don't know
And then you told me how bad you had to suffer
Is that really all you have to offer?
'Cause I'm a 21st Century digital boy
I don't know how to live but I've got a lot of toys
My daddy is a lazy middle class intellectual
My mommy's on valium, she's so ineffectual
21St Centry Digital Boy
21St Centry Digital Boy

21St Centry Digital Boy
21St Centry Digital Boy

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Sofa Surfers' "21st Century Army" are a critique of modern society and the impact of technology on our lives. The song's protagonist is a digital boy, lacking in real-life experience and social skills but armed with an array of toys and gadgets. The lyrics paint a picture of a society that values convenience and instant gratification over substance and depth, with the symbolized bar codes and quick IDs representing the dehumanizing effects of technology.

The song touches upon themes of class and the influence of parents on their children. The singer's father is described as a "lazy middle class intellectual", implying a sense of entitlement and a lack of work ethic. Meanwhile, the mother is on valium, suggesting a sense of detachment and ineffectiveness. The lyrics suggest that the digital boy's lack of grounding and direction is a direct result of their parents' shortcomings.

Ultimately, the song challenges the listener to reflect on the nature of society in the 21st century and the role that technology plays in our lives. The song's repeated refrain of "21st Century Digital Boy" serves as a reminder of the shallow nature of modernity and invites us to think about what we truly value.

Line by Line Meaning

On a city street, oh yeah
The setting is a bustling and noisy urban environment.

And I don't want it, the things you're offering me
The singer is rejecting the materialistic and shallow aspects of modern society.

Symbolized bar code, quick ID oh yeah
The imagery of a bar code represents how people are reduced to mere objects and given quick, superficial labels in the digital age.

'Cause I'm a 21st Century digital boy
The singer identifies himself as a product of the digital age, where technology has shaped his worldview.

I don't know how to read but I've got a lot of toys
The singer may lack traditional literacy skills but he has access to many gadgets and devices, which have become his primary source of knowledge and entertainment.

My daddy is a lazy middle class intellectual
The singer's father represents the privileged, educated middle class who have little motivation or actual engagement with social issues. They may have the tools to create change but lack the will to do so.

My mommy's on valium, she's so ineffectual
The singer's mother represents those who try to escape from the pressures and anxieties of modern life by relying on prescription drugs or other addictive habits, making themselves powerless and ineffective in the process.

Ain't life a mystery? I can't explain it
The singer is puzzled by the complexities of life and modern society, and feels powerless to understand or address them.

The things they're saying to me
The singer is skeptical of what authority figures or mainstream media are trying to tell him, as he believes they may not have his best interests at heart.

It's going yayayayayayaya, oh oh
The singer is hearing a cacophony of noise and meaningless chatter that dominates the modern soundscape, causing him to feel overwhelmed and disoriented.

Yeah, I tried to tell you about no control
The singer has tried to explain to others the feeling of being powerless and disconnected in an era where technology and consumerism reign supreme.

But now I really don't know
Despite his efforts to articulate his dissatisfaction with the status quo, the singer feels increasingly unsure about his own place and role in the world.

And then you told me how bad you had to suffer
Others may have shared their own struggles and hardships with the singer, but this does not necessarily make him feel any better or more hopeful.

Is that really all you have to offer?
The singer is unsatisfied with the empathy or pity that others might offer him, as he feels that such emotions lack agency or the power to bring about real change.

21St Century Digital Boy
The singer repeats the song's title as a way of underscoring his identity as a child of the digital age, who is struggling to come to terms with its many paradoxes and challenges.

Contributed by Brayden D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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