Cryptic video teases posthumous SOPHIE project
Whatever is coming, it will launch on Monday
A cryptic video has been uploaded to SOPHIE’s official YouTube channel, along with the launch of multiple new social media accounts dedicated to the late Scottish electronic music pioneer.
The video teases an event that takes place next week on Monday, June 24, or possibly marks a release or launch date for a new project of some kind.
The video lists a range of cities and timezones followed by the account handle: @MSMSMSM_FOREVER.
A range of new social media accounts have also been setup with the @MSMSMSM_FOREVER handle, on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook and Twitter.
The time zones listed in the video and posts are: London: June 24, 6.30pm Berlin: June 24, 7.30pm LA: June 24, 10.30am New York: June 24, 1.30pm Sydney: June 25, 3.30am
No further details of what is coming have been revealed, though speculative options could range from a posthumous music release or dedicated platforms to archiving and spotlighting SOPHIE’s legacy.
In June 2021, SOPHIE's brother Ben Long revealed: “There is a lot of music in the vaults, absolutely. There are literally hundreds of tracks.”
The main priority when it comes to the potential release is “doing right by SOPHIE”, he added.
The material ranges from rough sketches to nearly complete songs that were in the mixing stages. At the time it was reported that there is an ongoing discussion between SOPHIE’s family and her labels, Future Classic and Transgressive Records, on what to release, with the decision ultimately resting with the family.
Long said: “There are many, many discussions to be had. The most important thing for us is doing right by SOPHIE — putting stuff out that SOPHIE was happy with and would want to be out.”
SOPHIE died in January, 2021, following a tragic accident in Athens in 2021. Her experimental approach to pop music and use of vocal modulation to explore gender identity was pioneering.
The Glasgow-born artist released on labels such as Numbers and Huntleys & Palmers, and released debut album 'Oil Of Every Pearl's Un-Insides' on Transgressive Records in 2018. The album was nominated for Best Dance/Electronic Album at the Grammys in 2019.
Read our full tribute here.
Patrick Hinton is Mixmag's Editor & Digital Director, follow him on Twitter