Rhyme Report

Published on May 10th, 2022 | by Jameelah "Just Jay" Wilkerson

SOFI TUKKER’s “WET TENNIS” debuts at #1 on Electronic Chart + Announces US tour support

SOFI TUKKER’s ecstatic and empowering sophomore album, WET TENNIS, has debuted at #1 on Chartbeat’s Current Electronic Albums chart and #12 on the Dance/Electronic Billboard 200 chart. The album is a celebration of resilience, owning your right to pleasure, and liberating yourself from outside constraints. WET TENNIS, is the follow up to their twice GRAMMY nominated debut and is out now via Ultra/Sony Music.

The group are about to kick off the US/Canada leg of the WET TENNIS world tour this month with a pair of sold out shows at Washington DC’s legendary 9:30 Club this month. The tour will feature Bob’s Dance Shop, an innovative dance company known for their “Flash Bobs” and dance videos. Their spontaneous pieces transform spaces through joyful expression that invites participation. Audience dance-alongs are a long-standing tradition at SOFI TUKKER shows and the group have collaborated with Bob’s Dance Shop on some surprises for the tour to break the n=boundary between audience and performer. Headcount will also be joining the tour once again to register voters ahead of the 2022 Midterm Elections. You can sign up to volunteer at headcount.org/sofitukker.

SOFI TUKKER have also announced a cavalcade of friends and female dance music supernovas as tour support. The opening acts include electronic music phenom LP Giobbi, who co-owns the Animal Talk label with SOFI TUKKER and is the founder of the non-profit FEMME HOUSE which seeks to create equitable opportunities for women and other marginalized gender expressions in the technical areas of music creation. The Knocks who are SOFI TUKKER’s frequent collaborators and first supporters will also be on select dates of the tour. Mary Droppinz, beloved for her adventurous house & techno sets, and the female DJ collective Club Mesh are also hitting the road with the group. Both Mary Droppinz and Club Mesh did frequent takeovers of the group]s wildly popular livestreams during the pandemic. NYC DJ/producer Callie Reiff will open the 5/26 show in Boston. LP Giobbi, Mary Droppinz, Callie Reiff, and Club Mesh’s Dial Jess all did guest takeovers of SOFI TUKKER’s wildly popular livestreams during the pandemic. SOFI TUKKER will tour across Europe, Australia, and North America. Many of the US/Canada dates have already sold out. All dates are on sale now and the full tour is detailed below.

WET TENNIS highlight, and current single, “Summer in New York” is a guided tour across SOFI TUKKER’s NYC, and marks a full circle moment for the pair as they return to live in the city after spending the past few years in West Palm Beach. Above all, it’s a dedication to their city: the birthplace of SOFI TUKKER, the home that welcomed them straight out of college, and provided inspiration for their earliest work. Sophie’s beloved Miss Favela in Brooklyn where Brazilian music and food reign, Bang Bang tattoos where Tucker gets his ink done, The Knocks’ Chrystie St studio where “Drinkee” was made, The Box, and much more. The song weaves in the hook from an NYC classic, Suzanne Vega’s “Tom’s Diner” to connect all that is exciting about the city past and present. In a moment of collective consciousness, a cover of “Tom’s Diner” is also currently a sensation on TikTok, bringing the song to a new generation of dream chasers along with “Summer in New York.”

As the first track “Kakee” readily displays, SOFI TUKKER exist to toy with and upend expectations. Sung entirely in Portuguese by Sophie Hawley-Weld, the song is an ode to female pleasure with a tongue-in-cheek persimmon metaphor. What could so easily have been a high tempo dance track is an ecstatic romp layered with supremely cool guitar with post-punk energy, morphing it into a stellar concoction only the duo could have created.

WATCH THE “KAKEE” VIDEO

The “Kakee” video was filmed in Hawaii and is full of visual double entendres that correspond with the lyrics. Persimmons are squeezed until they gush and drip everywhere culminating in an ecstatic Sophie laying in a field. It was directed by Aerin Moreno with creative direction from Amber Park and styling by Johnny Wujek who were also the team on the “Original Sin” video.

“Original Sin” immediately takes another turn, opening with Tucker Halpern’s melancholy words, delivered in a nearly monotone manner so as to maximize their crippling power. He’s backed by gently strummed guitar and then by throbbing synths and bass, all before Sophie enters the fray with a retort of her own to his dismay. There’s one thing they can agree on: “So I think you’ve got somethin’ wrong with you / something’s not right with me, too.” It speaks for all of us barely concealing a mess beneath a calm facade. On another level, it’s a rejection of sin itself: none of us can be saints. Belying the existential woe of the lyricism, the song itself pulsates with life, hooking its talons in instantly and never letting go.

WATCH THE “ORIGINAL SIN” MUSIC VIDEO

The “Original Sin” music video is steeped in playful eroticism and introduces the joyful and seductive iconography of WET TENNIS. In true SOFI TUKKER fashion, they decamped to a tropical location radiating lush greens and sunlight and realized the video in Oahu, Hawaii.

“Forgive Me” finds Sophie pleading for understanding and a reclamation of someone lost, regardless of the price (“I’ll just let you yell at me all you want”). Alongside Turkish DJ Mahmut Orhan, SOFI TUKKER manage to morph an act of pure desperation into something both addictive and universal. It’s about the ultimate power, and surrender, of true forgiveness. The video was filmed on location at Evcik Beach and Kilyos Beach in Istanbul.

WATCH THE “FORGIVE ME” MUSIC VIDEO

For the title track, “WET TENNIS,” the pair ramp things up with an intro that doesn’t sound all too far removed from a parade one might hear in New Orleans (though the track was recorded in Miami with a group of Latin-American musicians), before expanding into a guitar and horn driven extravaganza, a sexy affair that will have you reaching for your partner or seeking out the nearest equally, shall we say, driven individual. Like they say: “the ball’s in your court.”

Up next is a brief Interlude, but one that allows SOFI TUKKER to display another side of their artistry, with Sophie singing placatingly over a stripped back musical backdrop, just her voice and the strumming of guitar. It’s a gentle, perfect lead-in for the aching drama of “Sun Came Up”. Backed by electronic artist John Summit, the song tells a tale of one of those chance encounters that becomes simply unforgettable. It starts with a glance at a party, then a shared joke, and somehow morphs into the kind of night that’s all too rare in this life. As Sophie sings, “You and I danced until the sun came up,” she manages to capture and bottle that very feeling.

“Larry Bird” comes in to play an entirely different game. Opting for a largely instrumental and Tropicália approach, SOFI TUKKER let the thumping bass and steel drums do the heavy lifting. It’s a tour-de-force for guest Tuck’s Dad, and a personal moment for Tucker, who grew up idolizing Bird (Sophie even appears to sing “33” in Portuguese: both Bird and Tucker’s basketball number). The basketball legend from which the song draws its title himself has quotes peppered towards the tail end of the song, drawing a connection between his game and SOFI TUKKER: “you already know who’s gonna win this thing.”

“Hold”, meanwhile, is a glancing blow, finding Sophie mired in isolation. It unfurls like a vine, ascending from its stark beginnings into a downtempo anthem, fitting for the nightclub once it’s become too smoky to make out who your friends are, lost in the maelstrom of strangers, all looking for the same thing. It’s an exercise in duality, cold and warm all at once. Guest vocalist Adam of BOII adds to the lonely atmosphere, as if he and Sophie are so close, yet just out of reach as they yearn for anything but spending the night alone.

Spiraling around yet again, true to its title, “Mon Cheri” is sung in a variety of languages, from French to Bambara, and boasts the coaxing fun that’s ever present within the potential for the romance language. Driven by lively guitar and call-and-response verses alongside legendary West African duo Amadou & Mariam, it’s perfectly suited for an imaginary stroll through some fantastical European sojourn: all before plunging into pure ecstasy in its final minute, with a frantic, dizzying beat entering the picture. It’s impossible not to emerge without a grin on your face.

“Freak” pulls in yet another direction, swerving somewhere between Breakbeat and something entirely modern, something like a Fat of the Land for 2022. It’s a celebration of the duo’s “pandemic fam”, for those who were always present for a daily dance party during the lockdown. Hardly running over 2 minutes, it’s over in the blink of an eye, but makes for another delightfully startling detour in an album chock full of them.

To close things up, SOFI TUKKER draw away yet again, emerging with something that’s quite simply serene, with the pair daring to cover “What a Wonderful World.” Here, the duo make the song entirely their own, boiling down the raw elements of SOFI TUKKER – gently plucked guitar, twinkling keys, and Sophie’s plaintive, gorgeous vocals. It’s a strangely fitting ending to what proves to be a genuine sonic adventure. After all the trekking to be found within WET TENNIS, it’s only right they see us off with a warm embrace.

With the album release, the duo has launched a new WET TENNIS merch line, which is available on their webstore along with an ombre picture disc vinyl. The physical formats of WET TENNIS are available as well.

SOFI TUKKER have achieved gold and platinum records in every continent other than Antarctica and their global audience began to coalesce around the streams, eventually creating a community that dubbed itself the Freak Fam. Along with activities related to the group, The Freak Fam have helped each other during this difficult time in both emotional and material ways. When many members of The Freak Fam had their prom canceled and were missing the big moments in their lives, SOFI TUKKER held a virtual prom and encouraged everyone attending to wear their freakiest wares. More recently, The Freak Fam took the form of a six month SiriusXM radio show, Freak Fam Radio, on Diplo’s Revolution Channel 52 which wrapped up in March.

WET TENNIS TRACKLIST:

1.”Kakee”

“Original Sin”

“Summer In New York”

“Forgive Me” with Mahmut Orhan

“Wet Tennis”

“Interlude”

“Sun Came Up” with John Summit

“Larry Bird” featuring Tuck’s Dad

“Hold” with BOII

“Mon Cheri” with Amadou & Mariam

“Freak”

“What A Wonderful World”

FREE TO SHARE:

SOFI TUKKER – WET TENNIS LP

SOFI TUKKER – Kakee (Music Video)

SOFI TUKKER – Original Sin (Felix Jaehn Remix)

SOFI TUKKER – Forgive Me (Music Video)

SOFI TUKKER – Original Sin (Music Video)

SOFI TUKKER – WET TENNIS album teaser

LAS VEGAS DJ RESIDENCY:

Sat, May 14 – Las Vegas, NV @ Marquee Dayclub

Sun, July 3 – Las Vegas, NV @ TAO Beach Dayclub

Sun, Aug 21 – Las Vegas, NV @ TAO Beach Dayclub

SOFI TUKKER LIVE:

North American Tour

Sat, May 21 – Washington, D.C. @ 9:30 Club (SOLD OUT)

Sun, May 22 – Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club (SOLD OUT)

Mon, May 23 – Philadelphia, PA @ Union Transfer (SOLD OUT)

Wed, May 25 – Brooklyn, NY @ Avant Gardner – The Brooklyn Mirage (SOLD OUT)

Thu, May 26 – Boston, MA @ Roadrunner

Sat, May 28 – Quebec City, QC @ Imperial Bell (SOLD OUT)

Mon, May 30 – Montreal, QC @ MTELUS (SOLD OUT)

Wed, June 1 – Toronto, ON @ HISTORY (SOLD OUT)

Thu, June 2 – Detroit, MI @ Majestic Theatre (SOLD OUT)

Fri, June 3 – Chicago, IL @ Radius

Mon, June 6 – Minneapolis, MN @ First Avenue (SOLD OUT)

Wed, June 8 – Denver, CO @ The Mission Ballroom (SOLD OUT)

Thu, June 9 – Salt Lake City, UT @ The Depot (SOLD OUT)

Sat, June 11 – Portland, OR @ Roseland Theater (SOLD OUT)

Sun, June 12 – Portland, OR @ Roseland Theater

Tue, June 14 – Seattle, WA @ The Paramount Theatre

Thu, June 16 – Berkeley, CA @ Greek Theatre

Sat, June 18 – Los Angeles, CA @ Shrine LA Outdoors

Mon, June 20 – San Diego, CA @ SOMA (SOLD OUT)

Mon, July 4 – Aspen, CO @ Belly Up (DJ Set)

Tue, July 5 – Aspen, CO @ Belly Up (DJ Set)

Australian Tour

Sat, July 23 – Melbourne @ Forum

Sun, July 24 – Sydney @ Roundhouse

Thu, July 28 – Adelaide @ Lion Arts Factory

Fri, July 29 – Perth @ Astor Theatre

European Tour
Mon, Sept 5 – Warsaw, Poland @ Progresja
Wed, Sept 7 – Prague, Czech Republic @ Roxy
Thu, Sept 8 – Leipzig, Germany @ Werk 2
Fri, Sept 9 – Berlin, Germany @ Columbiahalle
Sun, Sept 11 – Hamburg, Germany @ Fabrik
Mon, Sept 12 – Amsterdam, Netherlands @ Paradiso (SOLD OUT)
Tue, Sept 13 – Cologne, Germany @ Live Music Hall
Thu, Sept 15 – London, UK @ O2 Shepherds Bush Empire
Fri, Sept 16 – Antwerp, Belgium @ TRIX
Sat, Sept 17 – Paris, France @ Elysee Montmartre
Sun, Sept 18 – Utrecht, Netherlands @ TivoliVredenburg (SOLD OUT)
Wed, Sept 21- Milan, Italy @ Fabrique
Thu, Sept 22 – Frankfurt, Germany @ Sankt Peter
Fri, Sept 23 – Munich, Germany @ Freiheiz
Sat, Sept 24 – Bern, Switzerland @ Bierhubeli
Tue, Sept 27 – Vienna, Austria @ WUK
Wed, Sept 28 – Budapest, Hungary @ Budapest Park
Fri, Sept 30 – Istanbul, Turkey @ Kucukciftlik Park
Sat, Oct 1 – Cankaya, Ankara, Turkey @ Odtu Visnelik

Festival Dates

Fri, July 8 – Sun, July 10 – Split, Croatia @ Ultra Music Festival (DJ Set)

Sat, July 9 – Barcelona, Spain @ Cruilla Festival (DJ Set)

Fri, July 15 – Lisbon, Portugal @ Super Bock Super Rock (DJ Set)

Sun, July 17 – Boom, Belgium @ Tomorrowland (DJ Set)

Fri, July 22 – Byron Bay, NSW Australia @ Splendour in the Grass Festival (Live Set)

Fri, Aug 19 – North East, PA @ Elements Music & Arts Festival (Hybrid Set)

Fri, Oct 7 – Sun, Oct 9 – Austin, TX @ Austin City Limits

Fri, Oct 14 – Sun, Oct 16 – Austin, TX @ Austin City Limits

ABOUT SOFI TUKKER:

SOFI TUKKER, the genre-defying duo of Sophie Hawley-Weld and Tucker Halpern, is celebrated for their inclusive and global perspective on electronic music as well as their work’s themes of liberation, unity, and self-empowerment. In 2021, SOFI TUKKER achieved their third Billboard Dance Airplay chart #1 for their collaboration with John Summit on “Sun Came Up,” and they also released a tri-lingual collaboration with Amadou and Mariam, “Mon Cheri”. The band is also frequently tapped for remixes by some of the biggest artists in the world including Billie Eilish, Lady Gaga, and Katy Perry. SOFI TUKKER are also passionate activists who have raised funds and awareness for Planned Parenthood, The Trevor Project, National Alliance on Mental Illness, Natural Resources Defense Council and the March for Our Lives. Their commitment to equality and fostering community while recombining the pillars of dance music into exciting new shapes has established them as a singular act.

SHARE ON FACEBOOK SHARE ON TWITTER