I was introduced to Sofy when she opened for Alfie Templeman in Nottingham, 2024, where her stage presence immediately left me wanting more. Her debut album 'How To Perform Magic' is that same feeling caught in 12 songs or as she labels the first track, a '40 Minute Masterpiece' (despite it actually being 41 minutes and 5 seconds).
This record holds a darker tone than 2025’s Another Day In Paradise mixtape, however I really welcome this approach, as i believe this is Sofy at her most creative. Tracks such as 'Cashmere' (and the previously mentioned 40 Minute Masterpiece) really showcase this with elements of trip-hop, which really add to the downbeat soundscape of the album. This is seen in more fast paced tracks such as 'Dooya' and 'Wishbone'.
This album does not only rely on its remarkable production. The songwriting itself is brilliant and Sofy’s acoustic in-store tour really displayed this to me, when I decided to get a ticket to her Nottingham Rough Trade set. Hearing these songs stripped back was a real treat and I think the closing track 'Alligator', is the best way to hear this for fans, who missed out; for those who want to hear her songwriting at its best.
How to Perform Magic is my favourite release of 2026 so far. There are times where I hear potential influences from other artists like Magdalena Bay but this doesn’t takeover at all and the album stands on its own two legs. We live in a time, where a lot of new artists get told they’re too similar to previous ideas, Sofy however, couldn’t be further from this statement. This album gets 5 stars for me.
If you’d like to hear Sofy on Devote Radio, then tune into Orphic Sounds with Sam Cook on Wednesday’s 10-Midnight.
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