Album out now: Sofi Paez "Bodies of Water"

Berlin-based Costa Rican pianist Sofi Paez releases ‘Water’, as part of her new album‘Bodies of Water’ out today via OPIA Community.

‘Water’ is an intimate, deeply personal piece exploring isolation, hidden pain and the fragile space between despair and hope. Delicate piano, subtle production and piercing vocals create a quiet, vulnerable sound world, allowing the emotional weight of the song to unfold gradually.

Written after Sofi watched Charlotte Wells’ Aftersun in 2022, the song grew from her response to the film’s portrayal of depression beneath an outwardly happy and loving life. Over time, it became intertwined with her own experiences of feeling overwhelmed and lost, transforming emotions that were difficult to articulate into something tangible.

‘Water’ evolved through different forms over the years before finding its final shape with producer Evan Gildersleeve. Their collaboration brought a new perspective to the piece, with Evan’s patient and sensitive approach helping Sofi discover the direction that felt right for the song.

Sofi says: “For a long time, I found it difficult to even share this song with anyone because of how vulnerable and heavy it felt. Ultimately, writing it became a way to transform those emotions. Almost like an emotional purge.”

What began as a standalone composition eventually became the starting point for Bodies of Water. As Sofi wrote more music, a common thread emerged around water and its ability to embody different emotional states, shaping the album’s central concept.

Bodies of Water is Sofi Paez’s second album and her most ambitious work to date. Following her debut Silent Stories, the record moves between contemporary neo-classical composition, ambient textures, voice and subtle electronic elements. Inspired by the landscapes of Iceland with each piece exploring a different emotional landscape through the qualities of water itself: its movement, stillness, unpredictability and quiet strength.

From the relentless motion of “Waterfall”, to the meditative calm of “Pond”, the vast emotional contrasts of “Ocean”, the reflections on time and mortality in “River”, and the vulnerable centrepiece “Water”, the album traces an emotional journey through healing, perseverance and self-discovery.