Brighton-based sole-trader makes quite the entrance with Sole Music, an 18-track intimate, restless, and quietly adventurous debut. Written, performed, and produced entirely by one artist, the album carries that handmade, all-in vision from start to finish.
You can hear the indie-pop and soul foundations straight away, but sole-trader bends acoustic patterns, beats, and vocal textures into something that shifts shape as it goes, moving from blissed-out romance to heartbreak, paranoia, and finally a hard-won calm. Since most of the songs stay short and sharp, Sole Music rarely outstays its welcome; it hits, vanishes, and leaves a trace.
It all kicks off with “Fine,” and talk about starting on the right foot. The song is a soothing love-struck opener, with glistening guitar riffs and catchy, pumping beats that give it sparkle and momentum. sole-trader’s voice glides lightly through it, full of optimism, as if the whole record is opening its windows to let the light in. Then “Us 2” keeps that tenderness rolling, stripping things back to raw acoustic strums and calm atmosphere. He sings gently here, and that softer delivery suits the glow of new romance to a tee.
Further in, “Secrets” starts turning the kaleidoscope. It is dreamy, dynamic, and a little intoxicating, with soft lead vocals giving way to a honey-voiced soul diva calling out “Take me to the moon,” while an operatic female vocal drifts through the background like smoke. “Complacent” adds catchy guitar, elegant strings, piano glides, and more vocal effects, showing just how much detail sole-trader can pack into a compact runtime.
Later, “Storm In My Head” becomes one of the album’s emotional pivots, pairing fluid, watery guitar with layered voices, bold interruptions, and even a hint of rap before hard beats crash into the calm. By the time “Feeling the Glow” closes things out with soothing vocals over a steady, catchy beat, Sole Music feels like a melodic, and beautifully self-made, full emotional arc.
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Review by: Naomi Joan