- A brief but stunning bit of sound art mastery.
- SOPHIE changed the sound of pop and dance music, and she did it with a formidable sound art streak—the ability to transform raw signal into unreal noises. This collaboration with Jlin, released as part of Unsound's Intermission compilation, highlights the cerebral side of two producers variously associated with joy and rhythm. It's spare and fussy, consisting of a single plucked string and some percussive sounds that Jlin drops like a chef sprinkling salt. Over the course of its two minutes "JSLOIPNHIE" becomes twisted to oblivion, as melodies meld into pure sine waves and frequencies decouple from the drum sounds like a peeling coating. It's a testament to SOPHIE's gifts that she could make such a bizarre track so captivating all the way through, and it's tempting to imagine what else she could have done with a visionary like Jlin, whose own footprint shines through just as bright. And even if it only lasts for 2 minutes and 21 seconds, this summit of two of electronic music's brightest talents is worth cherishing.