Sophie (album)
| Sophie | ||||
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 27 September 2024 | |||
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| Sophie chronology | ||||
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| Singles from Sophie | ||||
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Sophie is the upcoming second and final[2] studio album by Scottish recording artist and producer Sophie. It will be posthumously released on 27 September 2024. Four singles have preceded it, starting with "Reason Why", and followed by "Berlin Nightmare", "One More Time" and "Exhilarate".
Background
[edit]After Sophie's unexpected death in 2021, plans of releasing her unpublished works were discussed. In June 2021, her brother Ben Long considered the possibility of a posthumous release of the planned "pop record" follow-up to her debut album that was already near completion.[3]
As a longtime studio engineer of Sophie, Long completed the album. Their two sisters were also involved in the process. Long was present for almost every studio session in the last few years of Sophie's life, giving him an intimate understanding of how the album would take shape after her passing. The track list of 16 songs, spanning the genres of pop, ambient music and techno, was roughly determined by Sophie herself. For most of the songs, features such as arrangements and production had already been prepared. Long explained that some songs required minimal mixing and mastering, while others were somewhere between sketches and demos. Extensive discussions with Sophie guided him in determining the direction each track should take.[1]
On 21 June 2024, Sophie's YouTube channel and a new social media account titled "@msmsmsm_forever" uploaded a series of videos and posts teasing an announcement on 24 June 2024.[4][5] When the teased date arrived, the lead single from the album, "Reason Why", featuring Kim Petras and BC Kingdom, was released alongside an announcement of the posthumous self-titled album to be released in September that year.[6]
On Instagram, Sophie's family posted a statement regarding the album.[7][8]
When we, Sophie's family, took our first steps towards bringing this project to fruition we contacted the dear friends with whom she envisioned the album. We wrote, "We have been finding comfort in the music Sophie left us, it is a gift that we truly cherish as we try to find a way forward, with Sophie forever at the center of our worlds." Sophie didn't often speak publicly of her private life, preferring to put everything she wanted to articulate in her music. It feels only right to share with the world the music she hoped to release, in the belief that we can all connect with her in this, the form she loved most. Sophie gave all of herself to her music. It's here that she can always be found.
— Sophie's family
Track listing
[edit]| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Intro (The Full Horror)" | ||
| 2. | "Rawwwwww" (featuring Jozzy) | ||
| 3. | "Plunging Asymptote" (featuring Juliana Huxtable) | ||
| 4. | "The Dome's Protection" (featuring Nina Kraviz) | ||
| 5. | "Reason Why" (featuring Kim Petras and BC Kingdom) |
| 3:53 |
| 6. | "Live in My Truth" (featuring BC Kingdom and Liz) | ||
| 7. | "Why Lies" (featuring BC Kingdom and Liz) | ||
| 8. | "Do You Wanna Be Alive" (featuring Big Sister) | ||
| 9. | "Elegance" (featuring Popstar) | ||
| 10. | "Berlin Nightmare" (featuring Evita Manji) |
| 3:36 |
| 11. | "Gallop" (featuring Evita Manji) | ||
| 12. | "One More Time" (featuring Popstar) |
| 3:21 |
| 13. | "Exhilarate" (featuring Bibi Bourelly) |
| 4:24 |
| 14. | "Always and Forever" (featuring Hannah Diamond) | ||
| 15. | "My Forever" (featuring Cecile Believe) | ||
| 16. | "Love Me off Earth" (featuring Doss) |
Reception
[edit]The Guardian described the album as "dense and unpredictable, never settling into the easy rhythms of a post-death tribute", highlighting that while posthumous albums are often cash grabs by opportunistic labels or management teams, Sophie's release stands out as a more "complete statement".[1]
Release history
[edit]| Region | Date | Format(s) | Label | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Various | 27 September 2024 |
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[9] |
References
[edit]- ^ a b c D'Souza, Shaad (20 September 2024). "'My first impression was this person's a genius': the life and legacy of producer pioneer Sophie". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 20 September 2024.
- ^ a b Strauss, Matthew (24 June 2024). "First and Final Posthumous SOPHIE Album Announced". Pitchfork. Retrieved 24 June 2024.
- ^ Langford, Jackson (4 June 2021). "Sophie's brother reveals plans to posthumously release music". NME. Retrieved 23 June 2024.
- ^ "A new Sophie album, featuring previously unheard tracks has been announced". Crack. 24 June 2024. Retrieved 24 June 2024.
- ^ Sophie (21 June 2024). @MSMSMSM_FOREVER. Retrieved 24 June 2024 – via YouTube.
- ^ "Sophie's Self-Titled Final Album to Be Released Posthumously on September 27". Paste.
- ^ "A message from SOPHIE's family". Instagram. 24 June 2024. Archived from the original on 24 June 2024. Retrieved 25 June 2024.
- ^ Pappis, Konstantinos (24 June 2024). "Posthumous SOPHIE Album Announced: Listen to 'Reason Why' Featuring Kim Petras and BC Kingdom". Our Culture Mag. Retrieved 26 June 2024.
- ^ "Sophie – Sophie. Sophie". Ochre. 24 June 2024. Retrieved 24 June 2024.
