Oil of Every Pearl's Un-insides

SOPHIE

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Hearing of SOPHIE's passing earlier this year was truly devastating. I considered her to be the future of electronic pop music because her style of production was so unique, uncompromising, and boundary pushing. Her 2018 album, Oil Of Every Pearl's Un-insides, showcased why she was well-respected amongst her peers and adored by so many in the pop world. The album kicks off with three of the producers strongest songs. It's Okay to Cry is a gentle opener that quite literally explodes blissfully in its final moments. The following track Ponyboy does a complete 180 and gets into some seriously freaky territory. The beat is menacing and has this deep distorted rumble while a demonic voice spouts lines that will illicit a twitch from any BDSM enthusiast. Faceshopping is just insane; I'm not even sure I have the words to describe what this even is. The tone of the synths are metallic and the melodies are very sour. It's pretty off-putting initially but this is why I have so much respect for SOPHIE. This track boasts that uninhibited creativity and boldness that I spoke of; making music to garner that bodily reaction. Whether that reaction be positive or negative probably had no weight on SOPHIE's mind.

While the sound play is just as impressive on the following few tracks, the songs feel a little less developed. Is It Cold In the Water? and Infatuation don't feel as spontaneous or unpredictable as some of the other tracks here. Their progression is almost linear as it just continues to add more layers and become increasingly more epic in volume. On the other side of the coin, Not Okay returns to that freaky and spontaneous territory. I envision hearing this in a horror funhouse with strobe lighting, and I am paralyzed with fear as all these characters taunt me. However, the musical nightmare doesn't last all that long; just a little under two minutes. I wished it had more time to develop or felt like it had more of a purpose beyond just creating this truly visceral physical reaction.

If you are looking for that futuristic pop banger, then I would have to point you to Immaterial. It is pretty infectious and perhaps the easiest track to digest, but SOPHIE does this without compromising the sound play and creativity. The vocals at points may be a little over-the-top but that's kinda the point. SOPHIE is taking these typical pop idioms and is pushing it so far off the edge into brave new territory. And this I guess encapsulates not only this song, but the whole record in general. I really love this record and it makes me really sad that we won't be able to see SOPHIE progress in her songwriting. One can only hope that her influence will emerge in pop's future as her contemporaries and new artists alike continue on the path she has forged.