Oil of Every Pearl's Un-Insides
Oil of Every Pearl's Un-Insides | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
![]() | ||||
Studio album by Sophie | ||||
Released | 15 June 2018 | |||
Studio | Soapworld | |||
Genre |
| |||
Length | 39:55 | |||
Label |
| |||
Producer | Sophie | |||
Sophie chronology | ||||
| ||||
Singles from Oil of Every Pearl's Un-Insides | ||||
| ||||
Oil of Every Pearl's Un-Insides (stylized in all caps) is the debut studio album[a] by Scottish recording artist and producer Sophie. It was released on 15 June 2018, through Transgressive, Future Classic and Sophie's own label, MSMSMSM.[9][10] The title may be a mondegreen of the phrase "I love every person's insides".[11]
The album was met with widespread acclaim by critics and received a nomination for the Best Dance/Electronic Album at the 61st Annual Grammy Awards.[12] A remix album, Oil of Every Pearl's Un-Insides Non-Stop Remix Album, was released in July 2019.
Singles
In promotion of the album three singles were released off the album—"It's Okay to Cry", "Ponyboy", and "Faceshopping".[13] The first single, "It's Okay to Cry", was released alongside a self-directed music video of Sophie, naked, singing directly to the camera in a studio setting behind digital skies and rainbow.[14][15] The video marked Sophie's "first proper public appearance".[15]
The second single, "Ponyboy", was released in December 2017. For its music video, Sophie worked with performance collective FlucT to choreograph "a dramatized ménage à trois".[16] The third and final single, "Faceshopping", deals with gender, beauty, and the body and features vocals by Cecile Believe.[15] Its accompanying music video distorts 3D renderings of Sophie's face, intercut with strobing images.[17]
Composition
Oil of Every Pearl's Un-Insides incorporates an eclectic array of genres and styles including avant-pop, industrial music, glitch music, electro, ambient, dance-pop, EDM, ambient house, industrial techno, drone, synth-pop, Eurodance, contemporary R&B and dream pop.[b]
Cecile Believe's vocals can be heard on all tracks on the album except "It's Okay to Cry", which is sung by SOPHIE, and "Not Okay", which contains sampled vocals from Kota Banks.
Songs
The opening track "It's Okay to Cry" is a ballad that begins with Sophie softly and intimately singing with 1980s-style synthesizer arrangements, before the song intensifies and Sophie's vocals crescendo to a wail.[14] It was Sophie's first song as a singer-songwriter, and its lyrics and music video were taken as Sophie publicly coming out as transgender.[14][24] "Ponyboy" and "Faceshopping" are playfully aggressive and hyperactive tracks that make use of pitch shifting. "Ponyboy" contains references to BDSM, while "Faceshopping" alludes to themes of transgender identity and transhumanism.[24][25]
"Is It Cold in the Water?" is an electronic song characterized by its synthetic sounds and programmed vocals. The lyrics explore a sense of uncertainty and potential danger, with the repeated question "Is it cold in the water?" serving as a central motif. "Infatuation" is a complex and unconventional pop song. Its production is both beautiful and unsettling, with intricate soundscapes and distorted vocals. While the lyrics are cryptic, they hint at the intense emotions and potential dangers of being obsessed with someone. The song transitions into "Not Okay", an interlude featuring manipulated vocals and electronic soundscapes.
"Pretending" is an ambient instrumental track. It departs from the artist's usual high-energy sound, instead opting for a more atmospheric soundscape. The song builds with layers of shimmering synths, echoing textures, and subtle sub-bass that create a sense of spaciousness and introspection. It is followed by "Immaterial", a pop song with electronic elements featuring vocals by Cecile Believe. The lyrics express themes of self-discovery and breaking free from limitations. The song explores the concept of gender being immaterial, defined by one's identity rather than physical form. The catchy chorus emphasizes the idea of limitless possibility: "I could be anything I want.", thus being considered the antithesis of Madonna's hit single, "Material Girl".
The album's final track, "Whole New World / Pretend World", is a 9-minute long, aggressive epilogue. It features heavy percussion and distorted vocals that repeat with slight variations, creating a sense of constant change within a repetitive structure. The song builds tension and then fades out with ambient noise, reminiscent (though perhaps not identical) of earlier songs from the album, such as "Infatuation" and "Pretending".
Critical reception
Aggregate scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
AnyDecentMusic? | 8.2/10[26] |
Metacritic | 86/100[27] |
Review scores | |
Source | Rating |
AllMusic | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Exclaim! | 9/10[2] |
The Guardian | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
NME | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Pitchfork | 8.6/10[18] |
Q | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Rolling Stone | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
The Times | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Tiny Mix Tapes | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Vice (Expert Witness) | A−[34] |
Oil of Every Pearls Un-Insides was met with universal acclaim upon release. At Metacritic, which assigns a standard rating out of 100 to reviews from professional publications, Oil of Every Pearl's Un-Insides received an average score of 86, based on 22 reviews, indicating "universal acclaim".[27]
Writing for Pitchfork, Sasha Geffen praised the album as "sprawling and beautiful, while still keeping the disorienting, latex-pop feel of her fascinating production technique" and said that while Sophie's "early singles exhibited a keen feel for economy and a killer sense of humor, OIL makes a bid for transcendent beauty."[18] Peter Boulos of Exclaim! said, "For all the praise that could be heaped on the bulk of Sophie's output, the best that comes to mind is that it sounds like no one else could have made Oil of Every Pearl's Un-Insides. This is the kind of music that, in 20 years, we may look back on as a pivotal point in changing the trajectory of the pop music sound."[2]
Reviewing the album for AllMusic, Heather Phares compared it favorably to Sophie's preceding release Product, claiming "Sophie is never indecisive as she takes her sounds and concepts to extremes. Where Product felt like a collection of alien pop hits, Oil of Every Pearl's Un-Insides abounds with interludes, passages, and major statements that allow her to dig deeper on the album's second half."[28] Joe Rivers of Clash wrote, "Sophie manages to incorporate the personal without detracting from what set her apart in the first place, and it makes for a record that's as affecting as it is thrilling."[35]
Accolades
Publication | Accolade | Rank | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|
Crack | The Top 50 Albums of 2018 | 1 | [36] |
Dazed | The 20 Best Albums of 2018 | 3 | 1 |
Drowned in Sound | 15 Favourite Albums of 2018 | 3 | [37] |
Fact | Best Albums of 2018 | 23 | [38] |
Gorilla vs. Bear | Albums of 2018 | 16 | [39] |
NME | Albums of the Year 2018 | 23 | [40] |
Pazz & Jop | The Top 100 Albums of 2018 | 33 | [41] |
Pitchfork | The 50 Best Albums of 2018 | 18 | [42] |
PopMatters | 75 Best Albums of 2018 | 13 | [43] |
Robert Christgau | Dean's List 2018 | 30 | [44] |
Spin | The 51 Best Albums Of 2018 | 47 | [45] |
Stereogum | The 10 Best Electronic Albums of 2018 | 1 | [46] |
The Guardian | The 50 Best Albums of 2018 | 11 | [47] |
The Quietus | Albums of the Year 2018 | 28 | [48] |
The Skinny | Top 50 Albums of 2018 | 11 | [49] |
Tiny Mix Tapes | Favorite 50 Music Releases of 2018 | 1 | [50] |
Uproxx | 20 Must-Hear Pop Albums of 2018 | 19 | [51] |
Publication | Accolade | Rank | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|
AllMusic | Decade in Review | - | [52] |
Crack | The Top 100 Albums of the Decade | 6 | [53] |
Mixmag | The 72 Best Albums of the Decade 2010–2019 | - | [54][55] |
Noisey | The 100 Best Albums of the 2010s | 60 | [56] |
Pitchfork | The 200 Best Albums of the 2010s | 74 | [4] |
Ceremony | Category | Result | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|
61st Grammy Awards | Best Dance/Electronic Album | Nominated | [57] |
Track listing
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "It's Okay to Cry" | Sophie | 3:51 |
2. | "Ponyboy" | Sophie | 3:15 |
3. | "Faceshopping" |
| 3:57 |
4. | "Is It Cold in the Water?" |
| 3:32 |
5. | "Infatuation" |
| 4:40 |
6. | "Not Okay" |
| 1:49 |
7. | "Pretending" | Sophie | 5:53 |
8. | "Immaterial" |
| 3:53 |
9. | "Whole New World/Pretend World" |
| 9:06 |
Total length: | 39:55 |
^a Banks was initially uncredited on the album. This has since been changed on most streaming platforms, due to the song containing prominent samples of her vocals from an unreleased collaboration with Sophie.
Personnel
Music
- Sophie – lead vocals (1–3, 6 and 9), background vocals, processed vocals (7), production and mixing
- Cecile Believe – lead vocals (2–5, 8 and 9), background vocals (1), processed vocals (7)
- Noonie Bao – vocalsb
- Banoffee – background vocals (8)[58]
- Nick Harwood – vocalsb
- Benjamin Long – mixing, vocal engineering, studio engineering
- Kota Banks – sampled vocals (6)
^b Vocal performers were listed without specifying whether they were background or lead or which songs they appeared on.
Artwork
- Eric Wrenn – art direction
- Charlotte Wales – photography
- Julia Wagner – set design
- Coco Campbell – dress design
- Emily Schubert – design (dress design)
- B34 – design (textiles)
- Nick Harwood – creative direction
- Sophie – creative direction
Charts
Chart (2018–2021) | Peak position |
---|---|
New Zealand Heatseeker Albums (RMNZ)[59] | 6 |
Scottish Albums (OCC)[60] | 61 |
UK Album Downloads (OCC)[61] | 30 |
UK Dance Albums (OCC)[62] | 2 |
UK Independent Albums (OCC)[63] | 20 |
US Heatseekers Albums (Billboard)[64] | 21 |
US Top Dance/Electronic Albums (Billboard)[65] | 15 |
Release history
Region | Date | Format | Label | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|
Various | 15 June 2018 | Digital download |
| [9][10] |
21 December 2018 | LP | [66] |
References
Notes
References
- ^ a b c Weingarten, Christopher R. (15 June 2018). "Review: Sophie's 'Oil of Every Pearl's Un-Insides' Is An Avant-Pop Gem". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 15 June 2018. Retrieved 15 June 2018.
- ^ a b c d Boulos, Peter (19 June 2018). "SOPHIE: Oil of Every Pearl's Un-Insides". Exclaim!. Archived from the original on 19 July 2018. Retrieved 9 July 2018.
- ^ a b Kim, Hans (12 July 2018). "Sophie – Oil of Every Pearl's Insides". PopMatters. Archived from the original on 5 December 2020. Retrieved 28 August 2020.
- ^ a b Pitchfork (8 October 2019). "The 200 Best Albums of the 2010s". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on 14 March 2020. Retrieved 15 December 2019.
- ^ "charts.nz – Sophie [UK] – It's Okay To Cry". charts.nz. Archived from the original on 25 August 2020. Retrieved 30 August 2019.
- ^ "charts.nz – Sophie [UK] – Ponyboy". charts.nz. Archived from the original on 25 August 2020. Retrieved 30 August 2019.
- ^ "charts.nz – Sophie [UK] – Faceshopping". charts.nz. Archived from the original on 25 August 2020. Retrieved 30 August 2019.
- ^ Cain, Sian (25 June 2024). "Sophie: posthumous final album to be released in September". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 21 July 2024.
- ^ a b "Sophie's 'OIL OF EVERY PEARL'S UN-INSIDES out now". Transgressive. 15 June 2018. Archived from the original on 16 June 2018. Retrieved 15 June 2018.
- ^ a b "OIL OF EVERY PEARL'S UN-INSIDES by SOPHIE on Apple Music". Apple Music. 14 June 2017. Archived from the original on 18 October 2018. Retrieved 18 October 2018.
- ^ Copperman, Joshua (14 June 2018). "SOPHIE 'Oil of Every Pearl's Un-Insides' Stream". Spin. Archived from the original on 17 August 2018. Retrieved 5 December 2018.
- ^ "Sophie". GRAMMY.com. The Recording Academy. Archived from the original on 1 May 2019. Retrieved 8 December 2018.
- ^ Yoo, Noah (5 June 2018). "SOPHIE Announces New Album OIL OF EVERY PEARL's UN-INSIDES". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on 12 June 2018. Retrieved 8 June 2018.
- ^ a b c Lhooq, Michelle (7 December 2017). "Pop Producer SOPHIE on Anonymity, Honesty, and Artifice". Teen Vogue. Archived from the original on 12 June 2018. Retrieved 8 June 2018.
- ^ a b c Ravens, Chal (1 June 2018). "Cover Story: SOPHIE – Earthly Pleasures". Crack Magazine. Archived from the original on 2 May 2018. Retrieved 23 August 2020.
- ^ Kaye, Ben (7 December 2017). "Sophie shares video for cacophonous new single 'Pony Boy': Watch". Consequence of Sound. Archived from the original on 12 June 2018. Retrieved 8 June 2018.
- ^ Schwartz, Erin (6 April 2018). "Sophie Performs Surreal Plastic Surgery in a New Video for 'Faceshopping'". Garage Magazine. Archived from the original on 12 June 2018. Retrieved 8 June 2018.
- ^ a b c Geffen, Sasha (15 June 2018). "SOPHIE: OIL OF EVERY PEARL's UN-INSIDES". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on 15 June 2018. Retrieved 15 June 2018.
- ^ Jessie Jeffrey Dunn Rovinelli. "SOPHIE – OIL OF EVERY PEARL'S UN-INSIDES". Tiny Mix Tapes. Archived from the original on 27 February 2021. Retrieved 28 August 2020.
- ^ Empire, Kitty (17 June 2018). "Sophie: Oil of Every Pearl's Un-Insides review – hyper-lush, but a touch wafty". The Observer. Archived from the original on 18 August 2018. Retrieved 18 August 2018.
- ^ "RA Reviews: SOPHIE – OIL OF EVERY PEARL'S UN-INSIDES". Resident Advisor. Archived from the original on 31 August 2019. Retrieved 28 August 2020.
- ^ Montanari, Dylan (24 July 2018). "SOPHIE – OIL OF EVERY PEARL'S UN-INSIDES". Spectrum Culture. Archived from the original on 30 January 2021. Retrieved 28 August 2020.
- ^ Indiana, Jake. "SOPHIE – OIL OF EVERY PEARL'S UN-INSIDES". Crackmagazine.net. Archived from the original on 26 February 2021. Retrieved 28 August 2020.
- ^ a b Juzwiak, Rich (6 June 2018). "SOPHIE on Her New Album, Old Disco, and Expressing Trans Identity in Music". Jezebel. Archived from the original on 23 August 2019. Retrieved 4 October 2020.
- ^ Cafolla, Anna (16 July 2019). "SOPHIE: Changing the narrative". DJMag. Archived from the original on 17 November 2019. Retrieved 25 August 2020.
- ^ "Oil Of Every Pearl's Un-Insides by Sophie reviews". AnyDecentMusic?. Archived from the original on 31 August 2019. Retrieved 31 August 2019.
- ^ a b "Oil of Every Pearl's Un-Insides by SOPHIE Reviews and Tracks". Metacritic. Archived from the original on 18 June 2018. Retrieved 18 June 2018.
- ^ a b Phares, Heather. "Oil of Every Pearl's Un-Insides – SOPHIE". AllMusic. Archived from the original on 2 September 2018. Retrieved 2 September 2018.
- ^ Beaumont-Thomas, Ben (15 June 2018). "Sophie: Oil of Every Pearl's Un-Insides review – taking it to sexy extremes". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 15 June 2018. Retrieved 15 June 2018.
- ^ Hunt, El (18 June 2018). "SOPHIE – 'Oil of Every Pearl's Un-Insides' review". NME. Archived from the original on 18 December 2019. Retrieved 18 December 2019.
- ^ Barton, Laura (Summer 2018). "Electric Dreams". Q (387): 117.
- ^ Hodgkinson, Will (15 June 2018). "Pop review: Sophie: Oil of Every Pearl's Un‑Insides". The Times. Archived from the original on 18 August 2018. Retrieved 18 August 2018.
- ^ Rovinelli, Jessica Dunn. "SOPHIE – OIL OF EVERY PEARL'S UN-INSIDES | Music Review". Tiny Mix Tapes. Archived from the original on 27 February 2021. Retrieved 1 February 2021.
- ^ Christgau, Robert (21 July 2018). "Robert Christgau on SOPHIE's Sweet Clarity". Vice. Archived from the original on 18 August 2018. Retrieved 18 August 2018.
- ^ Rivers, Joe (18 June 2018). "SOPHIE – OIL OF EVERY PEARL's UN-INSIDES". Clash. Archived from the original on 29 June 2018. Retrieved 8 July 2018.
- ^ "The Top 50 Albums of 2018". Crackmagazine.net. Archived from the original on 7 December 2019. Retrieved 10 December 2018.
- ^ "Drowned in Sound's 15 Favourite Albums of 2018". 8 December 2018. Archived from the original on 12 May 2022. Retrieved 12 May 2022.
- ^ "The 50 best albums of 2018". 13 December 2018. Archived from the original on 20 December 2019. Retrieved 12 May 2022.
- ^ "Gorilla vs. Bear's ALBUMS of 2018". 2 December 2018. Archived from the original on 11 January 2019.
- ^ "NME's Albums of the Year 2018". NME. 17 December 2018. Archived from the original on 13 October 2019. Retrieved 12 May 2022.
- ^ "Pazz & Jop: The Top 100 Albums of 2018". 6 February 2019. Archived from the original on 23 July 2019. Retrieved 12 May 2022.
- ^ "The 50 Best Albums of 2018". Pitchfork. 11 December 2018. Archived from the original on 7 March 2020. Retrieved 11 December 2018.
- ^ "The 70 Best Albums of 2018, PopMatters". 20 December 2018. Archived from the original on 1 April 2019. Retrieved 12 May 2022.
- ^ "Robert Christgau: 2018: Dean's List". Robertchristgau.com. Archived from the original on 14 January 2019. Retrieved 12 May 2022.
- ^ "The 51 Best Albums of 2018". Spin.com. 12 December 2018. Archived from the original on 8 April 2022. Retrieved 12 May 2022.
- ^ Rhoades, Lindsey (10 December 2018). "The 10 Best Electronic Albums Of 2018". Stereogum.com. Archived from the original on 11 December 2018. Retrieved 4 January 2018.
- ^ "The 50 best albums of 2018: The full list". TheGuardian.com. 21 December 2018. Archived from the original on 21 December 2018. Retrieved 12 May 2022.
- ^ "The Quietus | Features | Quietus Charts | Quietus Albums of the Year 2018, in Association with Norman Records". Thequietus.com. Archived from the original on 30 September 2022. Retrieved 12 May 2022.
- ^ "The Skinny's Top 50 Albums of 2018". Theskinny.co.uk. Archived from the original on 1 April 2019. Retrieved 12 May 2022.
- ^ "2018: Favorite 50 Music Releases". Tinymixtapes.com. Archived from the original on 12 May 2022. Retrieved 12 May 2022.
- ^ "20 More Must-Hear Pop Albums Of 2018". UPROXX. 6 December 2018. Archived from the original on 9 December 2018. Retrieved 10 December 2018.
- ^ "Decade In Review". AllMusic. Archived from the original on 17 December 2019. Retrieved 15 December 2019.
- ^ "The top 100 albums of the decade". Crackmagazine.net. Archived from the original on 12 November 2019. Retrieved 15 June 2024.
- ^ "The 72 best albums of the decade 2010–2019". Mixmag.net. Archived from the original on 12 May 2022. Retrieved 12 May 2022.
- ^ "The 72 best albums of the decade 2010–2019 – part 5". Mixmag.net. Archived from the original on 12 May 2022. Retrieved 12 May 2022.
- ^ "The 100 Best Albums of the 2010s". Vice.com. 6 November 2019. Archived from the original on 26 October 2020. Retrieved 12 May 2022.
- ^ Lynch, Joe (7 December 2018). "2019 Grammy Nominations: Complete List". Billboard. Archived from the original on 7 December 2018. Retrieved 7 December 2018.
- ^ "Banoffee: Artist You Need to Know - Rolling Stone". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 5 March 2020. Retrieved 5 March 2020.
- ^ "NZ Heatseeker Albums Chart". Recorded Music NZ. 25 June 2018. Archived from the original on 22 June 2018. Retrieved 22 June 2018.
- ^ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 10 July 2021.
- ^ "Official Album Downloads Chart Top 100 – Official Charts Company". officialcharts.com. Archived from the original on 5 August 2019. Retrieved 3 July 2018.
- ^ "Official Dance Albums Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 7 February 2021.
- ^ "Official Independent Albums Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 9 July 2021.
- ^ "Sophie Chart History (Heatseekers Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved 12 July 2018.
- ^ "Sophie Chart History (Top Dance/Electronic Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved 12 July 2018.
- ^ "SOPHIE – OIL OF EVERY PEARL'S UN-INSIDES [LP]". Amazon. Archived from the original on 25 August 2020. Retrieved 18 October 2018.
External links
- Official Sophie website
- v
- t
- e
- Oil of Every Pearl's Un-Insides
- Sophie
- Product
- "Nothing More to Say"
- "Bipp"
- "Lemonade"
- "Hard"
- "Just Like We Never Said Goodbye"
- "It's Okay to Cry"
- "Ponyboy"
- "Faceshopping"
- "Reason Why"
- "Immaterial"
- "Hey QT"
- "Bitch, I'm Madonna"
- Vroom Vroom
- "Vroom Vroom"
- "After the Afterparty"
- "Love Incredible"
- "Nights with You"
- "No Angel"
- "Girls Night Out"
- Fuck It Up