Back in 2015, when SOPHIE put out her landmark compilation, PRODUCT (via Glasgow label Numbers), they approached her asking about potential remixes. They were met with a sharp "NO remixes," which was followed by a long pause: "...unless it's Autechre."
Luckily, an early promo of SOPHIE's "BIPP" caught the ear of one-half of the legendary electronic duo and suddenly Numbers had their chance.
Over the next three years, they doggedly tried to convince Autechre to work their magic on a SOPHIE track. By 2018, they had sent the pair every stem and sysex file they could get their hands on from PRODUCT in hopes that literally anything might come of it.
Another two years would pass before anything happened. Live engagements and Autechre's own albums, which came out last year, got in the way until mid-2020 when an out of the blue email showed up in Numbers' inbox. It included a wav file and the message, "Sorry this is so late, hope it's still of some use."
Autechre finally came back with a stripped rendition of the early hyperpop classic, pitching down and emphasizing the original vocal with a dark minimal instrumental that brings the rubberized pop track into the realm of moody IDM. The perfect come down from "BIPP's" helium-soaked sugar high.
This remix comes as a full circle moment for SOPHIE, having been inspired to purchase the Elektron Monomachine and Machinedrum that would form the basis for her distinctive latex squeaks and pots-and-pans sound after hearing Autechre use them in a live bootleg recording from 2005.
Autechre's Remix of SOPHIE's "BIPP," out now on all streaming platforms, is available to pre-order on vinyl along with b-side "UNISIL," which was previously only available as a bonus download for those that bought the infamous Limited Edition Silicon Product.
Photography: Renata Raksha and Eva Vermandel
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