| Sheep | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Mixtape by | ||||
| Released | 13 January 2015 | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 16:55 | |||
| Producer | Arca | |||
| Arca chronology | ||||
| ||||
Sheep is the second mixtape by Venezuelan electronic producer Arca. It was released on 13 January 2015 for free download. [1] The mix is an eleven-song musical score Arca performed at Hood by Air's show at the Pitti Uomo 87 fashion event in Florence, Italy. [2]
Sheep was released a few weeks after Arca's cover of Shakira's "Hips Don't Lie" for Dazed after being placed at #3 on the Dazed 100, a list of the hundred most influential people shaping youth culture. [3] [4] On the same week of the mix's release, it was revealed that Arca would be co-producing Björk's Vulnicura record. [5] The mix served as the soundtrack to the 2015 Hood By Air fashion show for Pitti Uomo 87 in Florence, Italy. [1] She shared the mix on SoundCloud after performing it at the event. [6]
In an early press release, "Sifter" was titled "Faggot", but was renamed "Sifter" on the final track list. Similarly, downloading Sheep reveals that the file is titled "Pity the Homo". Arca confirmed via Twitter that these were her working titles, and that she changed them herself to be "more subtle." [1] Some of the tracks on Sheep were later reprised on to Arca's second studio album Mutant , which was released later that year. [7]
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Tiny Mix Tapes |   [8] |
| Sputnikmusic | 3.5/5 [9] |
Sheep was featured as Pitchfork 's "Best New Track", stating that "Arca is still setting the trends." [10] Tiny Mix Tapes wrote: "The mix splendidly downplays the melodic nuances that worked so well on Xen ; those interjecting high tones and bass-heavy counterpoints bleed into each other here to provide an unwavering soundscape. It's like a scrapbook of equally lavish and boisterous ideas that leap out of the page; though not fully formed, they make up a remarkable whole. These ideas bridge each "stage" in a fashion so dissimilar to the clearly defined &&&&& or anything at all from the Stretch EPs, forcing Arca's aesthetic to sound more debauched than ever. Sheep works as a platform (or even a catwalk), then, for Arca to celebrate [her] most off-kilter preferences." [8] Sputnikmusic said that "Sheep is fascinating in that it makes a complete stylistic detour from Xen while retaining the latter's core-aesthetic, manipulating it in such a way that the two become polar opposites, atmospherically. The extra-terrestrial vibe that appears to be something of a signature for Arca remains, but [her] characteristically warm, endearing, nonchalant approach has shifted towards something more deliberate and maddening." [9] Consequence of Sound said "the mix runs the sonic and emotional gamut, from moments of pounding aggression and galactic wooziness to pulsating sensuality and even hymnal meditation." [11] Dummy Mag said the mix "builds and releases in waves of terrifying and angelic sounds." [3]
All tracks are written by Arca
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Matriarch" | 0:44 |
| 2. | "Pity" | 2:26 |
| 3. | "Drowning" | 2:31 |
| 4. | "EN" | 1:10 |
| 5. | "Sifter" | 0:38 |
| 6. | "Submissive" | 1:30 |
| 7. | "Umbilical" | 1:38 |
| 8. | "Hymn" | 1:36 |
| 9. | "Don't / Else" | 1:07 |
| 10. | "At Last I Am Free (interlude)" | 0:37 |
| 11. | "Immortal" | 3:01 |
| Total length: | 16:55 | |
Sample credits [12]
Trip hop is a musical genre that originated in the early 1990s in the United Kingdom, especially Bristol. It has been described as a psychedelic fusion of hip hop and electronica with slow tempos and an atmospheric sound, often incorporating elements of jazz, soul, funk, reggae, dub, R&B, and other forms of electronic music, as well as sampling from movie soundtracks and other eclectic sources.
Björk Guðmundsdóttir ; born 21 November 1965) is an Icelandic singer, songwriter, composer, record producer, and actress. Noted for her distinct three-octave vocal range, bold musical choices, and sometimes eccentric public persona, she has developed an eclectic musical style over a career spanning four-decades, drawing on electronic, pop, experimental, trip hop, classical, and avant-garde music.
Matthew Edward Barnes, known by his stage name Forest Swords, is an English record producer, composer, DJ, and artist.
Alejandra Ghersi Rodríguez, known professionally as Arca, is a Venezuelan musician and record producer based in Barcelona, Spain. She initially began releasing music under the name of Nuuro. After attending the Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music, Ghersi first released the EP Baron Libre (2012) under the name Arca and subsequently released the EPs Stretch 1 and Stretch 2; the latter experimented with hip hop and brought her attention from prominent music publications.
NTS Radio is an online radio station and media platform started in the Hackney area of London. The station was founded in April 2011 by Femi Adeyemi "for an international community of music lovers". NTS broadcasts from its studios in London and Los Angeles, as well as remote worldwide broadcasts from its mix of resident hosts and guests. NTS produces a diverse range of live radio shows, digital media and events.
Xen is the debut studio album by Venezuelan electronic musician Arca, released on 4 November 2014 through Mute Records. The album was recorded over a largely improvised six-month period in 2014.
Vulnicura is the eighth studio album by Icelandic musician and singer Björk. It was produced by Björk, Arca and The Haxan Cloak, and released on 20 January 2015 by One Little Independent Records. Björk said the album expresses her feelings before and after her breakup with American contemporary artist Matthew Barney and the healing process.
Mutant is the second studio album by Venezuelan electronic music producer Arca. It was released on 20 November 2015 via Mute.
Entrañas (transl. Entrails) is the second mixtape by Venezuelan electronic music producer Arca. It was released for free download on 4 July 2016 through Arca's SoundCloud page and Mediafire. It features contributions from Total Freedom, Massacooraman and Mica Levi, who is also known as Micachu. Even though 14 tracks are listed, the entire mixtape is in sequence as a single track.
Jesse Kanda is an artist, animator and musician based in London. He was born in Japan and raised in Canada. Besides his solo career as an artist and musician, he is also well known for his collaborations with musicians including Arca, FKA Twigs and Björk as well as providing visuals for fashion label Hood By Air.
Arca is the third studio album by Venezuelan musician Arca, released on 7 April 2017 through XL Recordings. It is the first studio album to feature lead vocals by Arca herself, sung in her native language of Spanish. It was released to universal acclaim from critics.
&&&&& is the debut mixtape by Venezuelan electronic producer Arca. It was released on 23 July 2013 through Hippos in Tanks on SoundCloud. Even though 14 tracks are listed, the entire mixtape is in sequence as a single track. A vinyl release of the mixtape with an alternative album cover was released in January 2014 and was limited to 500 copies. On 28 July 2020, Arca announced a re-release of &&&&& through PAN, making the mixtape available on mainstream streaming platforms for the first time on 18 September 2020.
Venezuelan electronic music producer Arca has released ten studio albums, one remix album, two mixtapes, one compilation album, four DJ mixes, one box set, four extended plays (EPs), twenty-nine singles, twenty-three music videos, and ten remixes.
"The Gate" is a song recorded by Icelandic musician Björk. It was released on 15 September 2017 through One Little Indian as the lead single from her ninth studio album, Utopia (2017). The song was written and produced by Björk and Arca. An ambient and electronica song, "The Gate" lyrically meditates on the possibilities of love, from both a speculative and emphatic point of view. The song was also noted to be a direct transition between the imagery included on Björk's previous studio album, Vulnicura (2015), and Utopia.
Utopia is the ninth studio album by Icelandic singer-musician Björk. It was primarily produced by Björk and Venezuelan electronic record producer Arca, and released on 24 November 2017 through One Little Independent Records in the United Kingdom and The Orchard Enterprises in the United States. The album was acclaimed by music critics for its production, songwriting and Björk's vocals, and later received a nomination for Best Alternative Music Album at the 61st Annual Grammy Awards, becoming Björk's eighth consecutive nomination in the category.
"Arisen My Senses" is the third single from Icelandic singer Björk's ninth studio album, Utopia, released digitally on 21 March 2018. A "slug genitalia-coloured" vinyl remix EP was released months later on 25 May. The song was written and produced with electronic musician Arca, Björk's primary collaborator on Utopia.
Marylou Mayniel, better known by her stage name Oklou, is a French musician, singer, music producer, DJ, composer, and actress.
Kick I is the fourth studio album by Venezuelan electronic record producer Arca. Recorded between Barcelona and London, the album was released on 26 June 2020 through XL Recordings. Kick I was presented with four singles: "Nonbinary", "Time", "Mequetrefe", and "KLK" featuring Rosalía. It also includes collaborations with Björk, Shygirl, and Sophie. The album was nominated for Best Dance/Electronic Album at the 63rd Annual Grammy Awards, as well as for Best Alternative Music Album at the 22nd Annual Latin Grammy Awards.
Shayne Oliver is a fashion designer, musician, and creative director, based in New York City. Oliver is the co-founder and design director of Hood By Air, a fashion brand he established together with designer Raul Lopez in 2006. In 2013, Oliver was named among The 25 Greatest Black Fashion Designers by Complex.
Nymph is the debut studio album by British rapper and singer Shygirl. It was released on 30 September 2022 on vinyl, CD, cassette and digital download, through Because Music. The album was announced alongside the release of its lead single "Firefly" on 10 May 2022. The second single "Come for Me" was released on 7 June 2022. The album was shortlisted for the 2023 Mercury Prize.
