Bleep

With her debut album OIL OF EVERY PEARL'S UN-INSIDES, SOPHIE achieved her unique aim of making music that sits perfectly on the radar of nationwide mainstream radio appeal, yet turned it on its head completely by smuggling in rubbery and experimental latex clad ideas of what makes commercial pop music something for people to fetishise to the nth degree. This album exemplifies what makes SOPHIE's music such an addictive pill to swallow.

At the point of release in 2018 SOPHIE's under and overground dominance was pretty much untouchable really, and continues to prove dominant to this day. She had worked with everyone from Diplo to Madonna and was scouted for Jay-Z's talent agency Roc Nation. Yet she also cites Autechre as heroes and is mates with Glasgow's Numbers crew. What other artists can you really name who can easily move in both circles? Until Madonna swings by Rubadub to score some techno wax the next time she plays in Glasgow we'd say pretty much no one.

While the album is loaded up with tracks like 'It's Okay to Cry' and 'Immaterial' aka peak time tear jerkers primed for white-label/YouTube house remixes aplenty, what makes OIL OF EVERY PEARL'S UN-INSIDES so dazzling is the way it's followed up by tracks like Ponyboy which features sound design akin to Autechre jamming with DJ Screw at 45 rpm. While the likes of 'Faceshopping' are sure to give users the same sugar hit as 'Lemonade', yet here the digital bubbles that rise to the surface burst to reveal a sticky coating of electronica oil. Then there are the filtered drones of 'Pretending', which could soundtrack the bad dreams of Abul Mogard. Covering so much scope in just nine tracks is an exceptional feat and should be seen as such.

Tragically we lost SOPHIE aged 34 in 2021 at her home in Athens, Greece following an accident while she was hoping to catch a glimpse of the full moon. OIL OF EVERY PEARL'S UN-INSIDES stands as her career defining work and continues to hold untouchable status among contemporaries navigating the numerous paths she created. Its strength is in its confidence to take traditional pop music to the outer edges and then some.

Rest in Power SOPHIE