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.
1 2
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 "1 2" are open to interpretation, as is often the case with music. However, there are a few themes that emerge in the words. The first verse is about the power of angels, which is left at the singer's door. The singer wraps the power up in tinfoil and hurries away towards hills. This sequence could be interpreted in many ways, but the image of the singer wrapping something powerful up in tinfoil and running away suggests a desire to keep the power of the angels to themselves. The urgency with which they move towards the hills suggests a fear that someone might take the power away from them.
The second verse is more melancholy. The singer begs for a sign, but their heart is wrapped in silver and cannot cry any louder. This line is a bit cryptic, but it could be interpreted to mean that the singer is trying to find a way to express deep emotions, but is unable to do so. They call out to the "silver hearts" that they cannot remark, suggesting that there are other people around them who are similarly struggling to express themselves. The final lines of the song are a repetition of "Go on, go on," suggesting that despite the difficulties that the singer and others face, life continues to move forward.
Line by Line Meaning
The power of angels
The drive, energy, and inspiration provided by higher beings or forces
You left at my door
You bestowed this power upon me, perhaps unintentionally
I wrapped it up in tinfoil
I handled it with caution, reverence, and protection
And hastened away towards hills
I eagerly pursued greater heights and freedom with this new-found power
Begging, 'someone give me a sign'
I sought guidance and affirmation to ensure that I was following the right path
But my heart wrapped in silver
My emotions, intentions, and desires were pure, valuable, and precious
Could cry any louder
I was overwhelmed, emotional, and passionate about my journey
Hello, the silver hearts
Addressing others who share my qualities, aspirations, and struggles
That you cannot remark
Knowing that these qualities and experiences cannot be easily understood, explained, or judged by outsiders
Go on, go on
Encouraging myself and others to persist despite hardship, doubt, or fear
You shall never know
Accepting that some mysteries, challenges, and rewards can only be known by those who experience them
You shall ever be
Asserting that these qualities and experiences are part of our identity and destiny, and cannot be denied or erased
Go on, go on
Repeating the call to action and resilience, giving hope and solidarity to myself and others
Go on...
Ending with an ambiguous, yet uplifting word that suggests limitless potential and possibility
Contributed by Madelyn R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.