The digital realm, often perceived as ephemeral, is increasingly becoming a battleground for the preservation of cultural artifacts, particularly in the realm of music. A poignant example of this is the fan-led initiative, WHOLENEW.WORLD, a meticulously curated archive dedicated to safeguarding the expansive and multifaceted legacy of the groundbreaking artist SOPHIE. The project, spearheaded by dedicated fans, endeavors to compile, document, and present a comprehensive collection of the artist’s unreleased material, live performances, and elusive digital footprint, ensuring that her profound impact on electronic music and pop culture is not lost to the transient nature of the internet. The genesis of WHOLENEW.WORLD can be traced back to the deep admiration and a shared sense of responsibility felt by its founders, meg and Skip. Their journey into the world of SOPHIE, a pioneering producer and DJ who tragically passed away in 2021 at the age of 34, was not always through conventional channels. Skip recounts his initial encounter with SOPHIE’s artistry through a commercial for the Samsung Galaxy S6 in 2015. The advert featured a song produced by SOPHIE and performed by Liz. This unexpected introduction, while perhaps not a "proper" discovery, feels "apt" given SOPHIE’s own penchant for weaving her innovative sound into the fabric of modern consumer culture, a theme echoed in her 2015 debut compilation, "Product." This initial exposure, however, sparked a curiosity that would eventually lead to the creation of a vital archival resource. SOPHIE, known for her boundary-pushing production and unique sonic palette that profoundly influenced the hyperpop and PC Music scenes, released only one official studio album during her lifetime. Yet, her creative output extended far beyond this singular release. A vast ecosystem of unreleased tracks, bootlegs, live sets, and intricate lore circulated within fan communities, often existing precariously on old hard drives, obscure online forums, and the digital detritus of social media. The challenge of consolidating this dispersed material became the driving force behind WHOLENEW.WORLD. The Herculean Task of Digital Archaeology The process of building WHOLENEW.WORLD has been an undertaking of considerable scale and dedication. Meg, Skip’s partner and co-founder, described spending "at least four full days" immersed in digital archaeology. This involved painstakingly sifting through old Instagram tags, delving into the depths of Discord channels, scrutinizing Facebook comments, and navigating the labyrinthine threads of online forums. Furthermore, direct outreach to fellow SOPHIE enthusiasts through direct messages played a crucial role in unearthing forgotten gems, many of which had languished for years in personal cloud storage or camera rolls. The project’s visibility has since grown through shoutouts from other fan accounts across platforms like Instagram and X (formerly Twitter), amplifying its reach and encouraging further contributions. The archive is designed to be an immersive experience, mirroring SOPHIE’s own distinctive visual aesthetic. Inspired by the striking poster accompanying her seminal album "Oil of Every Pearl," the website features large, stretched text elements that serve as navigational signposts, guiding visitors through the various sections of the archive. This design choice reflects a deep respect for SOPHIE’s artistic vision, as Skip explains, "We wanted it to feel like SOPHIE, but at the same time we didn’t want to be SOPHIE. We wanted to be really clear that this is a fan-led thing, out of respect." This delicate balance between immersion and acknowledgment of the project’s fan-driven nature underscores the ethical considerations guiding the archive’s development. Documenting a Dispersed Discography Currently, WHOLENEW.WORLD hosts an impressive array of live sets and their corresponding setlists, tracing SOPHIE’s performance history back to a 2010 show at London’s XOYO. Notable inclusions meticulously cataloged by meg, who possesses an encyclopedic knowledge of SOPHIE’s work, include her 2014 Just Jam livestream, her live debut at Teragram Ballroom in 2017, and her impactful 2019 Unsound set. Future additions are slated to encompass a broader spectrum of content, including official songs, photographs from her diverse photoshoots, and interviews. A critical aspect of the archive’s methodology is its approach to leaked music. While unauthorized leaks will not be hosted directly on the site, they will be documented in an effort to "quell the rampant misinformation" that has often surrounded SOPHIE’s extensive back-catalogue. This nuanced stance acknowledges the existence of these unofficial releases while prioritizing the preservation of authenticated or officially sanctioned material, thereby maintaining the integrity of the archival record. Navigating the Challenges of Fan Preservation The creation and maintenance of WHOLENEW.WORLD are undertaken by meg and Skip, both in their early twenties and based on the West Coast of the United States. Balancing this passion project with full-time employment highlights the immense dedication required. They acknowledge the inherently "blurry" line between being a fan and an archivist when dealing with artists like SOPHIE, whose work is often fragmented and dispersed. "When you’re a fan of her work, considering so much is unreleased or confined to live sets, you’re either going to listen to leaks or live sets," meg observes, with a candid admission of personal engagement: "I do both. I’m no saint!" The impetus for the preservation project stemmed from a palpable frustration with the precariousness of digital content. "I was tired of stuff disappearing," Skip states emphatically. He recounts instances where SOPHIE’s label would issue copyright takedowns, leading to the deletion of material from the internet. "Unless someone had a backup, it was just gone." Compounding this issue were the losses incurred from lost hard drives, inaccessible digital storage, or old mobile phones that were never backed up to the cloud. The sentiment of loss is palpable: "It sucks that there’s so much that she played once, and it’s just gone now." This struggle underscores the vital role of fan preservation initiatives. It also serves as a broader commentary on the importance of personal digital archiving in an era where data can be lost with alarming ease. As meg poignantly states, "We’re preserving someone’s memories. It’s really special that they are willing to share that with us." The Ethical Landscape of Archiving Legacy The question of authorship and the shaping of an artist’s legacy, particularly in the posthumous period, is a complex and often sensitive issue. Following SOPHIE’s passing, subsequent releases and collaborations have occasionally sparked debate and controversy within the fan community. WHOLENEW.WORLD navigates this terrain with a conscious effort to tread lightly. "We were definitely really sensitive to her legacy," Skip emphasizes. "From the beginning, it was more about democratising access." The project aims to democratize access to SOPHIE’s body of work, recognizing that not all fans possess the time, resources, or technical expertise to embark on such extensive digital retrieval efforts. Meg echoes this sentiment, expressing a desire to honor rather than augment SOPHIE’s existing legacy: "I really want her legacy to live on, as opposed to us adding anything onto it. I just want people to know what was already there, and what happened. I want to be able to show people: this is the artist I love. This is someone who was so important to so many people." This ethos of preservation over interpretation is central to the project’s mission. Unearthing Hidden Treasures: Fan-Vetted Highlights The WHOLENEW.WORLD archive is not merely a repository; it is a curated exploration of SOPHIE’s artistic journey, featuring numerous "deep cuts" that hold particular significance for its creators. These selections highlight the dedication and insight of the fan community in piecing together a more complete picture of SOPHIE’s prolific output. CHOP SUEY SET, SEATTLE, 2014 This set from Seattle’s Chop Suey club in 2014, while featuring a collection of SOPHIE’s signature tracks, contains a particular song that has captivated fans. Known by fans as "Coral Reef" and officially titled "DIDDDDZZ Computer," the recording of this track, believed by many to have been played only once in this specific set, is a prized find. The fan-given name itself speaks to the imaginative and often playful interpretations that arise within the fan community, while the official title hints at SOPHIE’s experimental and futuristic sonic explorations. SWG3 SET, GLASGOW, 2016 The discovery of a recording from SOPHIE’s 2016 performance at SWG3 in Glasgow holds a special place in the archive’s narrative. This particular recording emerged after the site’s launch, highlighting the ongoing nature of the preservation effort. The significance lies not just in the rarity of the audio but in the trust placed in the archival project by the individual who shared it. "It was really cool hearing something that nobody else has ever heard; someone’s precious memory that they’ve been holding onto for so long," meg shares, underscoring the profound personal connection embedded within these recovered artifacts. AI SET, WASHINGTON DC, 2016 The search for material from SOPHIE’s 2016 AI set in Washington D.C. proved to be a testament to the power of interconnected fan communities. Despite the scarcity of readily available online video documentation, which led meg to initially believe little would be found, a crucial breakthrough occurred. A message to someone in a PC Music Discord server revealed a trove of video footage from the event. This discovery not only enriched the archive but also elicited gratitude from fans who had long sought to access this material. Comments such as, "Thank you for bringing this back because I’ve never been able to find anything on it," attest to the profound impact of such preservation efforts. 1015 FOLSOM SET, SAN FRANCISCO, 2015 This 2015 performance at 1015 Folsom in San Francisco yielded a particularly satisfying piece of digital detective work. The archive managed to connect seemingly disparate pieces of information to identify a transitional piece, often referred to as "The Sound," that SOPHIE had played on multiple occasions. The process involved analyzing a highly compressed and pixelated image of her DJ deck from a Facebook post, deciphering a filename that hinted at the track’s identity, and subsequently discovering a video of the photograph being taken. This "connecting the dots" moment allowed for the proper naming and cataloging of a piece of music that had previously been elusive. CLUB 2 CLUB AFTERPARTY, 2019 The discovery of material from a 2019 Club 2 Club afterparty in Italy was another serendipitous event for the WHOLENEW.WORLD team. The song "Structure," which some fans believed SOPHIE had played only once, was confirmed to have been performed at this event. This revelation led to the uncovering of an exceptional photo set by photographer @douglasjardim_. The images, which had been "dumped onto Facebook," showcase SOPHIE in her element, radiating an undeniable charisma. The archive’s ability to surface and present these visuals ensures that a wider audience can appreciate these compelling photographic records of the artist. The WHOLENEW.WORLD project stands as a powerful example of how fan passion, coupled with digital literacy and a deep respect for artistic legacy, can create invaluable resources. In an era where cultural output is increasingly digitized and dispersed, such initiatives are crucial for ensuring that the contributions of influential artists like SOPHIE are not only remembered but also accessible to future generations. For those interested in contributing to this ongoing effort, the project welcomes outreach via [email protected]. Post navigation The Friction Maxxing Movement: Reclaiming Agency in a World of Engineered Convenience
