At sixteen, Sophie began writing music for television documentaries and swapping her vocal abilities for free studio time at the EMI studios in Australia. For the next few years, labels would approach her with offers, provided she shifted her image to fit their ideals and sing the pop songs their producers wrote. “Being irritatingly ideal at that time in my life, I politely declined and continued on my own path of exploration.” Here Sophie reached a peculiar juncture, and went to university with the intention of becoming a diplomat, believing she could be of better use in such a role. She soon shifted courses and was accepted into the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, where she studied contemporary composition and orchestration. In due course, she began making a name for herself as Australia’s improvising rock cellist, touring with numerous acts, though the position soon wore itself out, and Sophie decided it was time to move on.
She moved to the US at twenty-three, and not long after touch down received word that Mark Linkous of Sparklehorse had heard her music and wanted her to join up with them for their tour with Radiohead. Sophie obliged, and afterwards found herself contributing on Sparklehorse’s albums, Good Morning Spider and It’s A Wonderful Life.
After her time with Sparklehorse, Sophie continued pursuing numerous musical avenues, and eventually was able to afford moving to upstate New York, where she could finally set up a studio of her own, though even this conjured up it’s own burdens. “Having the luxury of my own studio was great, but without an engineer to stop me, I destroyed most of what I wrote. To my dismay, my beloved music was turning into a gargantuan mirror and I couldn't stand it. Barely any songs made it out alive; the studio was like a war zone.” Unbeknownst to her, a major change was approaching. One night, while Sophie was out, there was an explosion in her studio, which promptly melted every piece of gear she owned, taking the whole house with it. She relocated, and began rebuilding another studio from scratch, and it was here that Sol Seppy began to manifest itself.
“I couldn’t see myself putting out a record before this” says Sophie. The catalysts for The Bells of 1 2 had long been developing, but had taken time to firmly materialize into a cohesive vision, apparent on the record. As the sole voice and creator behind Sol Seppy, Sophie landed not only the role of writer and performer for The Bells of 1 2, but also that of engineer and producer, with some additional mixing duties by Paul Antonell; all in all, a very substantial task for one person to surmount. As a result, the record is a true testament to the kinetic power of one’s own emancipation from the weighty trials that come hand in hand with the creative gift. “There was a strange joy around these songs in the studio.” This haunting, yet uplifting underpinning permeates most of the songs on the record.
Sol Seppy, the venture born of a longing for some perhaps unrealizable escape, has returned upon itself with an internal response, bearing the title, The Bells of 1 2. It’s celestial romanticism glows in the enchanting vocals of Sophie, each track a channel to some uncanny territory. Slo Fuzz beckons with an affectionately plaintive chorus, wishing to fly away, bubbling over ethereal melody lines. Wonderland tells the story of an artist with the sinking feeling that a change will never come. Come Running is a curious ode to companionship. Enter 2 Human plays out as one of the most heartrending incitements in recent years. Each song is more than enough to get lost in.
This enchanting record has finally seen its completion, a benchmark for Sophie’s Sol Seppy, and a tribute to the unfolding of one artist’s spectacular vision. The Bells of 1 2 is prismatic by nature, with Sophie’s guiding light splitting into an wide array of sonic colors. “It’s the discovery of beauty that inspires me the most,” she says, clandestinely hinting at an endless impetus for the songs of Sol Seppy.
12
Sol Seppy Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You left at my door
I wrapped it up in tinfoil
And hastened away towards hills
Begging, "someone give me a sign"
But my heart wrapped in silver
Could cry any louder
Hello, the silver hearts
That you cannot remark
Go on, go on
You shall never know
You shall ever be
Go on, go on
Go on...
The lyrics to Sol Seppy's song "12" are beautifully written yet deeply metaphoric. The opening verse, "The power of angels you left at my door," suggests that a momentous event has occurred, and the singer has received divine intervention. However, the fact that the power is left at the door and wrapped in tinfoil, implies that it is something the singer does not fully understand nor know how to handle. They "hasten" towards the hills, trying to escape, but it is here that the singer begs for a sign, a clear direction.
The next verse, "But my heart wrapped in silver, could cry any louder," illustrates how the singer is struggling within themselves to find answers to questions they may not even fully understand. The use of silver connotes the moon, which represents the subtle part of the psyche that is often hidden from us. The heart wrapped in silver could signify the soul that is attempting to break free from the confines of the physical world. The final verse, "Hello, the silver hearts that you cannot remark, go on, go on, you shall never know, you shall ever be, go on, go on, go on," suggests that while the singer is trying to escape, they are simultaneously encouraging others to keep going despite a lack of concrete understanding. The silver hearts are the soul and inner light of each individual that cannot be seen merely by observation.
Line by Line Meaning
The power of angels
The influence and strength of divine beings
You left at my door
You abandoned it for me to find
I wrapped it up in tinfoil
I carefully preserved it, kept it safe
And hastened away towards hills
And quickly fled, seeking refuge
Begging, "someone give me a sign"
Pleading for a clear indication or direction
But my heart wrapped in silver
But my emotions, surrounded by a cold exterior
Could cry any louder
Couldn't express themselves any more intensely
Hello, the silver hearts
Greetings to those with guarded emotions
That you cannot remark
That you cannot discern or comment on
Go on, go on
Continue with your life
You shall never know
You will never understand
You shall ever be
You will always exist
Go on, go on
Continue with your life
Go on...
Carry on
Writer(s): Sophie Michalitsianos
Contributed by Mateo B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.