Soft Loft – Modern Roses
After the Switzerland-based collective Soft Loft has already attracted a lot of attention with their debut album, they are now docking to the international [PIAS] network to release a new single “Leave The Light On”, while announcing their upcoming EP titled Modern Roses, out April 25 via [PIAS] Recordings.
The stunning, drifty melancholy of “Leave the Light On” speaks to all the small things a person leaves behind when they go, making it impossible for you to move on.
“The light is never really out, and they keep falling back to each other, but never really in a good way,” says vocalist Jorina Stamm. “There’s always a little bit of water left in the kettle to keep it boiling. It’s that fine line between something good and something you never want to go back to. And you keep on wishing for that person to just turn the light off.”
In 2023 Soft Loft self-released an EP titled In Case You Get Lonely, followed by a full-length album called The Party and the Mess, both produced by Grammy-nominated producer Gianluca Buccellati (Lana Del Rey, Arlo Parks). Without any promotional efforts, a couple of songs landed on rotation on Seattle’s KEXP, and the album hit the North American College Radio Charts (NACC 200), where it remained for a total of six weeks. Within a very short time, the band began playing their own shows in London, Paris and Berlin, among other places, as well as at high-calibre festivals such as The Great Escape, Reeperbahn Festival, MS Dockville, Maifeld Derby and the Montreux Jazz Festival.
This new collection of caramel-sticky songs turns its lens on affection, exploring the small gestures we make to collapse the distance between us, even if just for a tiny bit. It also delves into all the gorgeous ways in which we fail – the loneliness, the longing, the miscommunication, the prison of self, leaving somebody and being left behind. It’s all here, delivered in deep, vibey, psychedelically tinged oscillations between the melancholy and the ecstatic.
The material was written in the band’s secret hideaway – a cozy house with what Jorina describes as a magical garden, located in Barico, Ticino. The recording session took place on the periphery of the German City Dresden, in a defunct hotel. This time, it was just the band and their trusted sound engineer. For days on end, they experimented with arrangements and sound design. Most importantly, they sought an ever-deeper connection with each other, which explains why the vibe here is so unique and dense. These songs are like a late-night conversation between trusted friends. Ultimately, Modern Roses is a document of a band arriving—speaking in a singular musical voice and addressing things that matter but often remain unsaid. Things that turn to medicine, balm, and meaningful connection when spoken aloud. If life feels cold right now and you need a blanket, turn up the volume.
When asked about the title, singer Jorina Stamm explains, “It’s a phrase taken from our song ‘Paper Plane,’ which goes, ‘modern roses are paper planes.’ Because in 2024, you could be a bit more creative. Like, imagine folding a paper plane for somebody and handing it to them to tell them that you like them.”
#softloftsoftloft