Words: Sean Johnson
The garden’s green, the concrete’s grey and the vodka’s as cold as the river that runs alongside me. It’s a fitting environment, for I’m sat in The Gardener’s Rest with Soph, an emerging Sheffield Producer and DJ whose genre-blending mixes provide a concoction of gouging grit and meticulous melody. I caught up with Soph ahead of her debut Forge Warehouse, to talk all things juking, informed chops and multi-faceted stomping.
A maestro of heavy bass electronic music, where bouncing footwork rhythms meets hard-hitting trap hooks, Soph is no stranger to musical mash ups.
“I grew up in a very musical household,” she tells me. “I’ve always been exposed to a really broad variety of sounds.”
“I’d say my own music is the result of a lifetime’s worth of music listening, all 26 years so far, even the non-dance, non-electronic music I enjoy has shaped the way I make tunes.’
After moving to Sheffield in 2016 to study, Soph immersed herself in all the music Sheffield has to offer, frequently attending gigs and raves.
“I’ve always enjoyed going to see live music, and I’d been really getting into the rich culture of Sheffield’s music scene. I think that being so exposed to it and constantly being around other people who create music can really inspire you. And, y’know, there’s only so long you can sit back and listen until you think, ‘I’ve gotta do this myself!’”
I’d played guitar and piano for years and messed about with GarageBand, but my music never really saw the light of day, and I wasn’t making or performing anything to anyone. I spent more time listening to music made by other people. Being around so many creative people in Sheffield really inspired me to put myself out there.”
Now an active producer and performer, armed with her USB and a brazen confidence to expose new sounds, Soph performs anywhere and everywhere within the Steel City.
“I’ve played Forge, Dryad Works, Plot 22, South Bank Warehouse and even a few free parties – those sets are always really fun.”
“Earlier this year, I played my first set in London with a label called Das Booty. They specialise in juke, electro, footwork – heavy bass music.”
“London was a dream. There were about two hundred people, dancing like nobody cares – nobody’s watching. It was the most magical thing, just standing at the back of the room, taking a breather and watching the crowd.”
“It was a really diverse crowd. And they were all there because they absolutely loved the music. It’s not something you always get with club nights, not all of them have that feeling when you step into the room – that vibe that it’s gonna be a good night. But this night did!”.
Amongst a host of other DJs and acts who are redefining Sheffield’s electronic music scene, Soph has solidified her place as one of the city’s most exciting up-and-coming DJs.
“I’ve lived in Sheffield since 2016, and in that time, I’ve been exposed to all kinds of music. You have this wide variety of artists creating whatever they want. There are a lot of people involved in DIY and underground music scenes here. It creates a really interesting mix of musical ideas and I don’t think my own music would sound the way it does had I moved to another city.”
“Everybody here has such a different and unique angle; it makes me want to make something completely individual.”
“I think that Sheffield encourages artists to be non-conformist, to transcend the boundaries of expectation. I think it’s because you’re constantly exposed to fresh sounds. Knowing what you like, knowing what you don’t like isn’t necessarily helpful here; the music scene encourages you to look towards things with a more open mind.”
Community plays a pivotal role in shaping Soph’s musical world.
“My boyfriend, Sissy Green, produces his own music, blending pop and dance. He also plays bass in Drastic//Automatic. We make all sorts of music together and spend a lot of time working with other people collaboratively.”
“Recently, we worked with local rappers NorthernBwoy JxK and Surtees to release ‘Shoreham Boys’, an ode to Sheffield United. The track is based around an interpolation of ‘Meet Her at the Loveparade’, which is a track that the Blades walk out to at every home game.”
“JxK and Surtees even got to perform the track at the recent Sheffield derby day fanzone in Bramall Lane. It’s an incredible feeling knowing that a project I was involved with has been given such a massive platform.”
“I’ve also linked up in the studio with Syke Torrance, another amazing local rapper, and his producer Crane. It was the most incredible session! I picked up so many skills watching them work”.
“I definitely wouldn’t consider myself a lyricist, but spending time around rappers and lyrical creatives has given me a deeper appreciation for the attention to detail that goes into every bar. It’s hugely important for me to work with artists that create music that’s completely different to my own work. As an artist, I believe that you can learn more from stylistic differences than you can from shadowing people who make similar art to yourself”.
In November, Soph made her debut at Forge Warehouse, unleashing a set of hard-hitting stompers to a largely new crowd.
“Forge was bonkers! I was invited by Steel Dancin’ to close the workroom at their 8th event. It was packed out! It was a really good night, and it was a great experience getting to play the music I love to such an appreciative crowd.’
“I love playing to new audiences. I’m all about playing familiar tracks in an unfamiliar fashion, spinning bangers at breakneck speeds. I want to see people lost in the moment. Seeing people hearing a sample that they recognise in an entirely new context. I love serving up something unexpected.”
Soundcloud: @soph4tunes
Insta: @sphwbb
