On the cusp of the canonization of the first millennial saint, “sophisti-pop” is not the word one would think of. This author would hazard a guess that it’s not even in the top fifty of potential words that come to mind; And yet, after a reversion back to the Catholic faith, at least one sophisti-pop artist is connecting the genre to Acutis along with another topic the soon-to-be-canonized saint was passionate about: Eucharistic miracles.
But first, a shallow dive into the world of British alternative music.
A sub-genre of pop that emerged in the mid-1980s as part of the British ‘New Wave’ music movement, sophisti-pop is characterized by its smooth, polished sound. The genre blends pop with elements of jazz, soul, and R&B, often incorporating synthesizers, electronic keyboards, and studio technology to create a piece of contemporary music that is described as sophisticated and accessible.
“The 80s genre now called ‘sophisti-pop’ was full of music with Christian/Catholic themes,” says Stephen Becker, the Los Angeles-based brainchild of the synth-pop group Le Concorde, “not because all of them were even practicing their faith, but because the Biblical landscape was real for many of these young writers — my friend referred to them as ‘God-haunted Catholic boys.’ I think many were striving to make ambitious records that achieved some transcendent, soulful experience.”
Becker is the principal composer-songwriter, vocalist, and multi-instrumentalist of Le Concorde which, according to the bio, “reintroduced [sophistipop’s] high style to the world of indie-pop music in the Mid-00s.”
“You begin to realize… You are located in the Biblical landscape… I could have either chosen to ignore that reality or accept it, but what I knew was that, either way, it was impossible to escape it.”
Now, the group is working to release a new album with a goal to bring Catholic mysticism and spirituality to the genre.
“It’s true that relatively recently, I went through a conversion/reversion experience, which progressed over the course of several years. It was not something that happened in an instant, although there were many pivotal instantaneous moments coupled with slow developments.” Becker continues, “an important part of that journey initially, which had great impact on my songwriting, was the dawning upon me of the reality of Jesus’s resurrection, the prophesies of the Old Testament, and where we are all at on the timeline.”
Becker’s group just released the single “Corpus Christi” and accompanying music video which is aimed to be a tribute to the Millenial Saint, with the video incorporating imagery pertaining to Acutis’ life and interests. The song itself talks about the link between the Texas city of Corpus Christi and the Italian town of Orvieto, the site of a miracle that was included on the website Acutis created.
He wrote the single during a bout of inspiration brought on by a visit to Santiago de Compostela in 2019 and in the years after when he experienced the love of God and the saints which led to his reversion.
“You begin to realize: It isn’t that the Bible is an old thing that is still relevant — that’s true, but it’s much more than that. It is alive and you are in it. You are located in the Biblical landscape, whether you are Jewish or you are Christian or you are pagan or whoever you are — I could have either chosen to ignore that reality or accept it, but what I knew was that, either way, it was impossible to escape it.”
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The Miracle of Orvieto mentioned in the song is a profound story.
In 1263 a German priest known as Peter of Prague was having a crisis of faith. He was pious and devout but, like many Catholics even in our time, was having a hard time believing in the Real Presence of the Eucharist. While on a pilgrimage to Rome, the priest stopped off in Bolsena to celebrate Mass. As he said the words of Consecration, he looked in shock and horror as blood started seeping from the host, getting on his hands and on the altar and corporal. This profoundly shook him and he went straight to Orvieto to see Pope Urban IV and tell him about this miracle.
The Pope asked to see the Host and bloodstained corporal, and these were delivered to him. The relics were eventually enshrined and displayed, and the Pope was so moved that he instituted the feast of Corpus Christi.
This miracle, along with over 130 others, were among the miracles listed by Acutis on his website cataloging Eucharistic miracles two years before his death.
Becker explains how the new single includes this miracle:
“‘Corpus Christi’ is a love letter to beauty, the Catholic faith, and resilience,” Becker said. “It’s a song about miracles and the future patron saint of the internet, Blessed Carlo Acutis. The lyrics are a sort of weaving of geographical references to places where great Eucharistic miracles have taken place, and the desire we naturally have for more and more such miracles. I wanted the song to sound exquisite.”
The parallels to faith are apparent and yet, Becker’s style resonates and cuts through audiences. In fact, it’s those not of faith that Becker hopes most to reach:
“The music fans I probably care most about are those who have never called on God and have never developed love for God, yet deep down, maybe subconsciously, they are often seeking some kind of spiritual solace, some kind of transcendent experience, in listening to music. I admit I do have a sort of affection for these people and in a way they are ‘my people’— the ‘motley crew’ who love modern music and have heart but don’t (yet) love or call on God. Why? Because that used to be me.”
“The music fans I probably care most about are those who have never called on God… in a way they are ‘my people’— the ‘motley crew’ who love modern music and have heart but don’t (yet) love or call on God. Why? Because that used to be me.”
Becker continues, talking about the fact that many Catholics, even faithful and devout people, often forget about the supernatural mystery of the Faith.
“The supernatural, for some reason, makes a lot of people uncomfortable, but the Gospels are full of spectacular miracles and angels …and miracles happen every day. For instance, why aren’t the jaw-dropping results of the scientific Shroud studies on the front page of newspapers or studies of the Tilma or Eucharistic miracles?”
“My main goal in making the video was to help people get excited about the canonization of Carlo and point them to the mind-blowing reality of the true presence in the Eucharist — to increase zeal and wonder among lukewarm believers and to perhaps tantalize those who are completely unfamiliar with the faith but who have perhaps seen illustrations of the sacred heart or the Eucharist before and would never think to connect it in any way with computers and video games,” Becker said.
Those not already moved by the subject matter will find the song itself worth the listen, which will hopefully lead to evangelization according to Becker. The single brings together well-known people from the genre including drummer Ash Soan (Seal, Trevor Horn, Tori Amos), bass player Vinzenz Benjamin (ABC, Paul Young), keyboardist Roger Joseph Manning Jr. (Beck, Morrissey, Jellyfish), and Becker himself on synthesizers and vocals. All produced by Scottish producer Calum Malcolm (The Blue Nile, Prefab Sprout) and AIR London mastering engineer Barry Grint (Bee Gees, Fleetwood Mac).
For Becker, music isn’t just a job – it’s a way to use the talents God gave him creatively and for a higher purpose. His style, modern sophisti-pop, may not be what one would first think of when one considers ‘Catholic Music,’ but for Becker, the “modern” is the thing:
“I still love a lot of modern music — it is my primary vocabulary as an artist. For better or worse, it is the lingua franca of my generation and I still believe it can both communicate transcendence and rise above the primitive and the puerile. I know my favorite records achieved that in my eyes.”
“Paul commands us to rejoice in song — he doesn’t specify the musical style or that it should be a command performance! Obviously, the point is, music is an extraordinary gift, and we can all put some heart into using it in our own way to rejoice in what is worthy of rejoicing in.”■
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