Sfire 7 is a song released in 2015 under Sfire, the collaborative project of producers SOPHIE and Jeffrey Sfire. In this blog entry, I will analyse how Sfire 7 is able to communicate meaning through sonic and melodic variety, in the absence of vocals and lyrics.
The song is in 4/4 at 128 BPM, with a four-on-the-floor drum pattern and a bouncy, metallic bassline throughout. It features over this a variety of melodic loops played on various electronic synthesizers. One could assert that these leads serve essentially the same purpose as vocals would – like a demo track where the melodies are played on synthesizers. This is emphasized by the discernable melodic, sonic, and structural differences between lead sections.
For example, the prominent synth lead of the first 16 measures has an arpeggiated structure which ascends and descends over the span of two octaves. In the key of A Major, this arpeggiation sets a playful introductory tone, especially considering the bubbly, wide, and harmonic synthesizer the melody is played on. The sound is chorused, with a relatively long attack and sustain. The high end shimmers with a short reverb as the hero of the sound, while the low-mids are cut into by the aforementioned bassline. It also occupies a distinct focus in the mix. Such forces combine to create an introductory melody that communicates a sense of vocal familiarity, indeed in the sense that the sound occupies the same range, and is treated with the same equalisation and effects, as a vocal would be. As such, this becomes a set-up for the second major discernable synth lead.
The second lead communicates the tension of a pre-chorus vocal, and is vastly different from the first. Here, the bass stays on a single note for 8 measures, adding to this sense of build-up. The lead sound has a quicker attack, is in a lower octave, and has a shorter decay. It also disregards the quick(er) arpeggiation of the first synth, and instead plays drawn-out, sustained three-note ascensions interjected with syncopated fills. The sound is also noticeably less bright as well as monophonic (in opposition to the first, chorused, lead). Critically, it is almost ad-libbed by a pitch-bent siren on certain downbeats, adding a sense of call-and-response similar to vocal performance. Despite all this, it occupies a central place in the mix, perhaps further cementing the importance of different synth leads in communicating meaning.
These two examples illustrate the importance of sound selection and melodic variety in the work of Sfire, as well as the work of SOPHIE in general. In my view, SOPHIE’s unique use of synthesizers allows for melodic elements to communicate a sense of meaning as a vocal would – the introductory lead communicates playfulness and innocent danceability, whereas the second lead communicates tension and uncertainty.