Product (Sophie album)

Last updated

Product
Sophie product.jpg
Compilation album by
Released27 November 2015 (2015-11-27)
Recorded2011–2015
Genre
Length25:26
Label Numbers
Producer
  • Sophie
Sophie chronology
Product
(2015)
Oil of Every Pearl's Un-Insides
(2018)
Singles from Product
  1. "Bipp"
    Released: 17 June 2013
  2. "Elle"
    Released: 17 June 2013
  3. "Lemonade"
    Released: 28 July 2014
  4. "Hard"
    Released: 4 August 2014
  5. "Msmsmsm"
    Released: 1 October 2015
  6. "Just Like We Never Said Goodbye"
    Released: 16 October 2015
  7. "L.O.V.E."
    Released: 6 November 2015
  8. "Vyzee"
    Released: 27 November 2015
  9. "Unisil"
    Released: 28 January 2021 [2]

Product (stylized in uppercase as PRODUCT) is the debut compilation by Scottish electronic music producer Sophie. It was released by Numbers on 27 November 2015. [3] The 8 tracks on Product appeared as singles released from 2013 to 2015. The album was made available in "silicon bubble cases", and its release coincides with the launch of a line of apparel [lower-alpha 1] and a "silicon product" resembling a sex toy. [5]

Contents

Upon its release, the compilation was met with polarizing, yet mostly positive reviews from critics. Some reviewers praised its innovative sound, while others found it challenging and disruptive. In 2019, Numbers announced a re-release in limited quantities in its original format of four vinyl singles, each in a PVC case. [6]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
AnyDecentMusic? 7.3/10 [7]
Metacritic 74/100 [8]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [9]
Exclaim! 8/10 [10]
The Guardian Star full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [11]
The Irish Times Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [12]
The Observer Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [13]
Pitchfork 6.6/10 [14]
Q Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [15]
Resident Advisor 4.6/5 [16]
Spin 9/10 [17]
Vice A− [18]

Product received positive reviews, The review aggregator website Metacritic gave the album an average score of 74 out of 100, which indicates "generally favourable reviews". [8] Exclaim! senior editor Stephen Carlick called the record "a snapshot of an exciting artist whose tightrope walk between sweet and scary, pop and avant-garde, has yielded some of the best singles of the past few years." [10] The Observer described the album as "disruptive, a sound pushing the limits of what constitutes pop and what is just an annoying noise you are inexplicably paying money for." [13] Sasha Geffen of Consequence of Sound wrote that "Product blurs the traditional subject/object power relationship of pop music, bending desire as easily as it bends waveforms," and called it "one of the more mischievous music objects under the current atmosphere." [19]

MP3 blog Gorilla vs. Bear listed the album as their 12th best album of 2015. [20]

Track listing

Product track listing
No.TitleLength
1."Bipp"3:00
2."Elle"3:44
3."Lemonade"1:58
4."Hard"2:54
5."Msmsmsm"3:35
6."Vyzee"3:22
7."L.O.V.E."3:38
8."Just Like We Never Said Goodbye"3:08
Total length:25:26
Silicon product
No.TitleLength
9."Unisil"2:06
Total length:27:32
Japanese edition [21]
No.TitleLength
9."Get Higher"3:00
Total length:28:26

Charts

Chart performance for Product
Chart (2015)Peak
position
US Top Dance/Electronic Albums (Billboard) [22] 23

Notes

  1. There is no evidence of the apparel line ever being available for purchase. Both the platform boots and sunglasses are part of visual effects artist, collaborator, and fellow PC Music contributor Hannah Diamond's portfolio, labeled as 'SOPHIE - Virtual Merchandise'. [4]

Related Research Articles

<i>Kill for Love</i> 2012 studio album by Chromatics

Kill for Love is the fourth studio album by American electronic music band Chromatics. It was released on March 26, 2012, by Italians Do It Better. On May 7, 2012, a drumless version of the album, containing 11 songs with no percussion, was made available by the band for free download.

<i>R Plus Seven</i> 2013 studio album by Oneohtrix Point Never

R Plus Seven is the sixth studio album by American electronic musician Oneohtrix Point Never, released on September 30, 2013, as his debut album on Warp Records. The album's musical palette draws heavily on the synthetic sounds of MIDI instruments, 1980s synth presets, and VSTs.

Young Ejecta is an American synthpop duo, consisting of Neon Indian's Leanne Macomber and producer Joel Ford of Ford & Lopatin. The band name was changed to Young Ejecta in 2014 due to the group getting a copyright notice from the closely named DJ Ejeca. Macomber appears nude on all official album covers and promotional material, and in most of their music videos. In an interview with Brooklyn Based, she gives the background "Creating Ejecta as a sort of blank slate, Macomber set out to subvert any neat categorization of the band’s music. “I really insisted like, she should be naked all the time so that no one can say, ‘Well, they’re punks, they dress like this.'”"

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sophie (musician)</span> Scottish music producer and DJ (1986–2021)

Sophie Xeon, known mononymously as SOPHIE, was a British music producer, songwriter, and DJ from Scotland. Sophie's work is known for its brash take on pop music and is distinguished by experimental sound design, "sugary" synthesized textures, and incorporation of influences from underground dance styles. It would help pioneer the 2010s hyperpop microgenre.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">PC Music</span> UK-based record label and art collective

PC Music is a record label and art collective based in London and run by producer A. G. Cook. It was founded in 2013, uploading its first releases to SoundCloud that year. Artists on its roster have included Hannah Diamond, GFOTY, Danny L Harle, EASYFUN, Namasenda, and Planet 1999. The label's releases have been showcased on the compilations PC Music Volume 1 (2015), Volume 2 (2016), and Volume 3 (2022). Following a decade-long run, since 2024 the label is now only dedicated to archival projects and special reissues.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">A. G. Cook</span> British music producer (born 1990)

Alexander Guy Cook is an English music producer and the head of the UK record label PC Music. Cook released his first solo singles in 2014. He has also collaborated with PC Music artists such as Hannah Diamond, GFOTY, EASYFUN, Danny L Harle and felicita. He formed the one-off project QT with musician Sophie and performance artist Hayden Dunham, producing the 2014 single "Hey QT".

<i>The Planet</i> (album) 2015 studio album (mini-album) by Young Ejecta

The Planet is the first mini-album by American synthpop duo Young Ejecta. The second overall studio album by the group and the first to be released under Young Ejecta, which had been changed from simply Ejecta due to a conflict with another DJ named Ejeca, the six-track record contains influences of minimalist electronic music, euro disco and 1970s pop music. On October 8, 2014, the band announced they had finished producing the album. Three singles spawned from the record: "Welcome to Love", "Your Planet" and "Into Your Heart". “Welcome to Love” was used in the closing credits scene of season 7 episode 10 of Orange Is The New Black.

Ryan DeRobertis is an American electronic musician and singer who grew up in Farmingville, New York and attended Boston College for two years studying music. His electronic music project SAINT PEPSI began in December 2012. After the release of his ninth studio album Hit Vibes in May 2013, he would retire the SAINT PEPSI name due to legal threats from the soft-drink company PepsiCo. He would adopt the name Skylar Spence in 2015, and release his debut record under that moniker, Prom King. In 2019, he would return under the name SAINT PEPSI with the release of Mannequin Challenge, and he currently uses that name for live performances and certain releases.

<i>Me</i> (Empress Of album) 2015 studio album by Empress Of

Me is the debut studio album by American singer and songwriter Lorely Rodriguez, known professionally as Empress Of. It was released on September 11, 2015, by XL Recordings and Terrible Records. Finding her residence of New York stifling to her creative process, Rodriguez embarked on a solo writing retreat to Mexico which granted her the introspection she was seeking. Work on the album continued for a further two years, culminating in a direct approach to her lyrics and production.

<i>Caracal</i> (album) 2015 studio album by Disclosure

Caracal is the second studio album by English electronic music duo Disclosure. It was released on 25 September 2015 by PMR Records and Island Records. Its serves as a follow-up to their debut album: Settle (2013). Five official singles have been released from the album: "Holding On", "Omen", "Jaded", "Magnets" and "Nocturnal", with three promotional singles also being released: "Bang That", "Willing and Able" and "Hourglass".

<i>Vega Intl. Night School</i> 2015 studio album by Neon Indian

Vega Intl. Night School is the third album by American electronic music band Neon Indian. It was released on October 16, 2015, by Mom + Pop Music. The album title was an intentional nod to Alan Palomo's other music project, titled Vega, for which he produced only a single EP. Noticing that ideas from Neon Indian and Vega were merging, Palomo decided to combine the two projects into one and retire the use of the Vega moniker.

<i>That We Can Play</i> 2010 EP by Games

That We Can Play is the debut EP of the American electronic-music project Games, consisting of producers Daniel Lopatin and Joel Ford. Lopatin and Ford produced That We Can Play in an apartment studio, using vintage synthesizers and sequencers to recapture the sound and style of 1980s power pop.

<i>Mutant</i> (album) 2015 studio album by Arca

Mutant is the second studio album by Venezuelan electronic music producer Arca. It was released on 20 November 2015 via Mute.

<i>Oh No</i> (Jessy Lanza album) 2016 studio album by Jessy Lanza

Oh No is the second album by Canadian musician Jessy Lanza. It was released on May 13, 2016, by Hyperdub. The album features co-production from Junior Boys' Jeremy Greenspan and was preceded by the singles "It Means I Love You" and "VV Violence".

<i>Phases</i> (Angel Olsen album) 2017 compilation album by Angel Olsen

Phases is a compilation album by American musician Angel Olsen. It was released November 10, 2017 through Jagjaguwar.

<i>Il</i> (album) 2016 studio album by Jean-Michel Blais

Il is the debut studio album of French-Canadian pianist and composer Jean-Michel Blais, released in April 2016 by the Arts & Crafts. The album is a set of improvised piano pieces Blais recorded in his bedroom in Montreal with a Zoom microphone. The LP was produced in such a manner where the listener feels immersed in the music by having other sounds outside the piano bleed into the recording, such as breathing, camera shutters, rain, kids playing, and more. The compositions featured on Il also had sheet music released by Arts & Crafts in July 2016. Il garnered critical acclaim, landing on Time magazine's list of the top ten best albums of the year, and also made it to the longlist of the 2016 Polaris Music Prize, though it never made it into the shortlist.

<i>In a Poem Unlimited</i> 2018 studio album by U.S. Girls

In a Poem Unlimited is an album by U.S. Girls, the solo project of Toronto-based American musician Meghan Remy. It was released on February 20, 2018 through 4AD.

<i>Oil of Every Pearls Un-Insides</i> 2018 studio album by Sophie

Oil of Every Pearl's Un-Insides is the debut studio album by Scottish recording artist and producer Sophie. It was released on 15 June 2018, through Transgressive, Future Classic and Sophie's own label, MSMSMSM. The title may be a mondegreen of the phrase "I love every person's insides".

<i>Erotic Probiotic 2</i> 2023 studio album by Nourished by Time

Erotic Probiotic 2 is the debut album by American singer and record producer Marcus Brown under the alias Nourished by Time, released on April 21, 2023, through Scenic Route Records. It received acclaim from critics, being ranked on several lists of the best albums of 2023.

<i>& the Charm</i> 2023 studio album by Avalon Emerson

& the Charm is the debut studio album by American electronic music producer Avalon Emerson, released on April 28, 2023, through Another Dove and One House Records. It was co-produced by English producer Bullion and received acclaim from critics.

References

  1. Simon, Noah. "The best hyperpop albums of all time". The Line of Best Fit. Retrieved 29 July 2024.
  2. "Unisil - Single by SOPHIE on Apple Music" . Retrieved 29 January 2021.
  3. Carley, Brennan (29 September 2015). "Sophie Announces New Collection, 'Product,' Out on November 27". Spin . Retrieved 28 October 2015.
  4. Amond, Hannah. "SOPHIE - Virtual Merchandise". Hannah Diamond. Retrieved 4 February 2024.
  5. Gordon, Jeremy (29 September 2015). "Sophie Releasing Singles Collection With "Silicon Product" (That Sure Looks Like a Sex Toy)". Pitchfork . Retrieved 28 October 2015.
  6. "Numbers. SOPHIE - PRODUCT REPRESSES". nmbrs.net. Retrieved 1 October 2019.
  7. "Product by Sophie reviews". AnyDecentMusic? . Retrieved 18 December 2019.
  8. 1 2 "Reviews for Product by Sophie". Metacritic . Retrieved 10 April 2016.
  9. Phares, Heather. "Product – Sophie". AllMusic . Retrieved 10 April 2016.
  10. 1 2 Carlick, Stephen (25 November 2015). "Sophie: Product". Exclaim! . Retrieved 10 April 2016.
  11. Petridis, Alexis (26 November 2015). "Sophie: Product review – forehead-slappingly obvious pop provocations from PC Music affiliate". The Guardian . Retrieved 10 April 2016.
  12. Carroll, Jim (20 November 2015). "Sophie: Product – Album Review". The Irish Times . Retrieved 17 April 2018.
  13. 1 2 Empire, Kitty (29 November 2015). "Sophie: Product review – digital pop divorced from the analogue world". The Observer . Retrieved 17 April 2018.
  14. Richardson, Mark (2 December 2015). "Sophie: Product". Pitchfork . Retrieved 10 April 2016.
  15. "Sophie: Product". Q (355): 118. February 2016.
  16. Fallon, Patric (1 December 2015). "Sophie – Product". Resident Advisor . Retrieved 10 April 2016.
  17. Weiss, Dan (23 November 2015). "Review: Sophie Rebuilds Pop in His Own Mysterious Image on 'Product'". Spin . Retrieved 10 April 2016.
  18. Christgau, Robert (26 December 2015). "Grimes Embodies Hyperfeminism Individualism for a Post-Rock Mindset". Vice . Retrieved 10 April 2016.
  19. Geffen, Sasha (1 December 2015). "Sophie – Product". Consequence of Sound . Retrieved 10 April 2016.
  20. ChrisChris (December 2015). "GORILLA VS. BEAR'S ALBUMS OF 2015". Gorilla vs. Bear . Retrieved 18 November 2022.
  21. "Sophie (42) – Product (BRC-493)". Discogs . 27 November 2015. Retrieved 10 April 2016.
  22. "Sophie Chart History (Top Dance/Electronic Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved 10 April 2016.