Words by George Gray
Sohodolls have been producing genre-bending tunes for over 20 years, but their most recent release Territory of Your Heart, maintains a contemporary feel without losing their trademark dark twist.
Territory of Your Heart is best described as a ‘heavy synth-pop song’ with a fusion of darker basses and synths alongside catchy vocals and playful guitar riffs. The lyrics themselves take inspiration from a similarly intense fusion, that of an imagined relationship between two ‘alpha’ characters from parallel worlds.
Sohodolls’ singer and primary songwriter Maya Von Doll divulged that when writing the song she took inspiration from the power dynamic between the mythical power couple, Caesar and Cleopatra. In the words of Maya, the result is a song “about falling for someone other-worldly that blurs the lines between feeling protected and being controlled” and at points, the song itself oscillates between that line of controlled or not.
The off-heavy 80s style synths draw the listener in, reminiscent of one of their large inspirations Eurythmics, but with an updated twist that works well. The modern use of 80s synth can be at times hard to authentically produce, but much like College & Electric Youth’s A Real Hero, Sohodolls manages it well using a faster bpm to create an engaging beat.
Shortly after the synth is joined by the instantly recognisable vocals of Maya Von Doll. Similar to the likes of 80s artists such as Wendy James or Kate Bush but with a modern feel evocative of Charli XCX or Billie Eilish, Von Doll has a distinctive alt-pop style but with a slight euro-pop twist. As the pre-chorus hits the song’s layers build nicely with drums and guitar coming in alongside earworm lyrics “You’re dangerous in ways that I desire. Beautiful and broken, yeah you’re my empire, empire”.
However, it is as the bass drops into the chorus that creates Territory of Your Heart’s best moment. As Von Doll’s lyrics sweep into an echoing hook, Ängelsson delivers an exceptionally infectious 90s-style guitar riff. Ängelsson’s riff ups the ante of the song’s drama, delivering a moment that listeners will find hard to not go back to.
The momentum carries nicely post-chorus, and the cutting out of the guitar with Von Doll’s vocals taking centre stage again feels very apt to the alt-pop sounds of 2024, adding an energetic side to a darker synth-laden tune. The contemporary nature of the tune is built on further as again the arrangement of synths, guitar and drums changes. This time dropping to a boggier sound, with spoken word vocals. Perhaps a decision inspired by their previous TikTok success, it feels slightly forced, but works well as a crescendo before the song’s outro.
It is clear throughout that Von Doll’s vocals act as a glue, seamlessly blending the song’s varying styles, and overall the song has a very contemporary and catchy feel. A wide range of inspirations are visible and as a result, Sohodolls have created a tune that should appeal to a range of ages and musical tastes, something harder and harder to do in the modern world of music. Overall, for electronica and alt-pop fans, it’ll be a surefire hit on playlists, and before long you’ll probably find yourself humming that chorus too.
