Soft Set has just released their new album titled ‘Love and Dancing’. If you remember our review of the lead single ‘Never Die‘ one can see how that fits right into the rest of the set.
Each track has it’s own personality traits yet seamlessly fit together as a collective. That kind of soft pop lazy Sunday alternative feeling that you can get from ‘Love and Dancing’ reminds me of those artists when alternative was called Post Modern and the song was the goal and not the look. Soft Set stands on its music.
The ‘Love and Dancing’ EP is out as of September 4 and can be ordered directly from the artist via Bandcamp, in addition, to digitally via online stores and streaming platforms.
About Soft Set
Toronto-based dreampop melodic indie rock duo Soft Setpresent their debut ‘Love and Dancing’ EP, a five-track offering loaded with indie pop / dream rock excellence. This follows their first 7″ vinyl release of tracks ‘Never Die’/ ‘7 On Up’ and
‘Love and Dancing’ was mixed in Oxford, UK by Ride frontman and celebrated producerMark Gardenerin his recently-launched world-class OX4 Sound Studio.
Drawing on influences from iconic artists that have inspired them on their musical path – The Stone Roses, Smiths, My Bloody Valentine, RIDE, Slowdive, Happy Mondays, Boo Radleys, Mercury Rev – it’s no surprise that Soft Set’s debut EP is a body of work that is sure to appeal to a broad audience.
Soft Set is a songwriting and music collaboration between James Gray and Nathan Athay, two life-long friends who became musical collaborators years after growing up together in Barrie and then Toronto, Ontario.
Laced with dayglo dream-inspired sonic glee of 90s indie rock royalty such as shoegaze icons Ride, Soft Set’s brand of melodic pop-rock is earnest and natural. Cloaked in the finest realm of nostalgic reverie, this debut single ‘Never Die’ is equally stunning and infectious.
“We really wanted this album to have a theme that’s relatable to everyone and we feel that our second single titled “7 on Up” does just that. We wanted the audience to think about adolescent summer nights and that longing for a first kiss, dance, or letter from their crush saying that they feel the same way as you do about them. It’s what everyone wanted back then right? Both James and I are really proud of this track and it’s actually the first track of the album as we felt that the song really sets the tone for the rest of the EP,” says Nathan Athay.
Not long after meeting during high school, they quickly realized that they had much in common, especially when it came to their taste in music. Nathan started playing drums in a local shoegaze, space rock band and James wasn’t far behind, learning guitar and writing songs of his own. Soon after, James became the band’s backup guitar player, filling in whenever the main guitar player couldn’t make a show.
Although that band lasted only a few years, James and Nathan continued to work separately on other projects, as well as working together whenever they could. Things really amped up in 2006 when James and Nathan were part of a Toronto indie rock band, recording their debut album at E5 Studios Downtown. James and Nathan learned a lot about recording and production through this process, inspiring them to continue to push themselves musically, eventually creating what is now Soft Set.
“Before we started this project, we agreed to never intentionally try to sound like anyone but ourselves. We really wanted to take an honest approach in the process and never discounted any ideas that we presented to each other. We gave everything a chance to see what worked and what didn’t and took it from there,” says James Gray.
“I think what makes this album so special is that it’s very relatable. The lyrics are about feelings and settings that everyone experienced in one form or another and we feel each song is consistent with that”.
LINKS:
https://softsetmusic.com
https://www.facebook.com/SoftSetMusic
https://soundcloud.com/softsetmusic
https://twitter.com/SoftSetMusic
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUgtM7K8m_PaALXDdBL_yoQ/videos
https://www.instagram.com/SoftSetMusic
