Softer Still – Visions of You EP
July 28th 2017
Club Fandango
Softer Still‘s second EP “Visions Of You’” was released on 28th July. The EP has an overall more 80’s/synthpop/sophistipop quality layered on top of their former already jangly dream-pop sound similar to bands like Wild Nothing, Day Wave, Small Black and Beach Fossils.
“Wishing Well”, the first single of the EP (which saw the daylight in April this year), is awash with vintage synth-sounds, cooing vocals, reverberating guitars à la Lloyd Cole, you get the picture…. (or “vision” in this case). The second single “Forever Faces” was released on June 9th, and I still think it is the strongest one on the EP. Quoting myself on an earlier review of the single in question: “on “Forever Faces” we find breezy synths reminiscent of Scritti Politti and the same sweet Prefab Sprout-esque ringing guitar sound and trademark cadence transition into the 2nd verse. Grant and Ellie’s vocals complement each other and interact perfectly here.”
The new EP, however, also has two brandnew tracks for us : “1993″ is a sparkly piece of jangle-pop on a nostalgic trip. “Take me back to a time before..” / I go through footage that’s long gone/ innocence exists in 1993..” conjuring up hazy images of 8mm camera shots and faded colours. “Junipero” has the same wistful aura and definitely settles for some retro 80’s vibe again: choppy guitar, chiming bell-like synths, electro beats ….enough to make one go all dewy-eyed about the days of the walkman and big hair. The EP’s main theme definitely seems to be on the subject of impermanence/passing of time and not knowing what the future has in store for us, as the chorus so beautifully echoes : “Love, life, through space and time“…….