Debut EP from CJ Sooy

New Jersey-born, Philadelphia-based songwriter, producer and multi-instrumentalist CJ Sooy‘s journey towards a solo career has been steady and carefully planned. He’s spent more than a decade developing his talent, first as a teenager writing and recording original material, then as a dependable collaborator across the Philadelphia and New York music scenes where he operated as a revered session guitarist.

Music has been central to CJ’s life since he began writing songs at the age of 16 back in 2014 and as the years progressed, he immersed himself in bands throughout his early twenties, developing both his songwriting and instrumental abilities while gaining invaluable experience in studios and on stage. That period ultimately laid the groundwork for a more personal direction, encouraging him to step away from collective projects and begin releasing music under his own name.

That shift allowed his identity as an artist to fully emerge and while influenced by the likes of of Elliott Smith, Goo Goo Dolls, Foo Fighters, Fiona Apple and even the surreal atmosphere of David Lynch’s films, CJ has crafted a sound that acknowledges its inspirations while remaining entirely his own. Nostalgic without becoming derivative, his music captures the warmth of 90s alternative rock while introducing a perspective informed by his own experiences.

Writing, recording, producing and performing the vast majority of the instruments on his own releases, CJ maintains complete creative control over every stage of the process. That same versatility has also made him an in-demand session musician, contributing guitar and bass across countless projects throughout Philadelphia and New York while further expanding his musical vocabulary. Now, after years spent helping shape the records of others while quietly developing his own artistic voice, he arrives with a debut EP that feels like the natural progression of everything that came before.

That moment arrives with Is Anything Real, his debut EP, released on the 7th of August, a five-track outing that maps out his own musical world. Recorded between Gradwell House in Haddon Heights, New Jersey and CJ’s own apartment, the project channels an appealing contrast between intimate lo-fi character and slick production. Across the EP, he explores emotionally weighty subjects alongside moments of sharp satire, moving between contemplation and wit to allow contrasting moods to coalesce naturally.

Brought in by the delicate flicker of lightly gritty guitar notes and airy instrumental tones on opening track “Yesterday,” CJ’s soothing vocals glide in with poignant lyrics to cast a dreamy indie rock scene. Building with the laid back taps of drums and memorable melodic writing, the song builds into an anthemic pop rock scene brimming with singalong leads and intricate ebb and flow. “Drive” lands with bright chords and smooth vocal lines before jumping into a bouncy arrangement capped by catchy hooks and jangly guitar tones, resulting in a charming listening experience that’s impossible not to love.

“Sloane” slows things down with the shimmer of acoustic guitar tones and mellow vocals, gradually progressing with the soft punch of drums as picture painting lyrics float via alluring melodies above. With “Marigold,” CJ serves up an energising pop rock jam packed full of bright vocal performance, twanging guitar leads and steady rhythmic drive, delivering a superb display of his engaging songwriting and performance panache.

Closing the EP with titl track “Is Anything Real,” the downtempo flutter of acoustic guitar and gentle vocal delivery crafts a moving, atmospheric scene that expands with pattering drums and softly crunching chords to offer a spectacular finale to his incredible debut EP release. Ultimately, Is Anything Real captures the confidence earned through years of experience, the patience to develop a genuine artistic identity and the desire to follow his own creative compass. After spending so long contributing to the music of others, CJ Sooy steps forward with a record that feels personal, musically assured and thoroughly enjoyable.