Soft Play have defied expectations on their latest single, with the immensely vulnerable, mandolin-backed single ‘Everything and Nothing’.
The new track follows the release of the duo’s roaring return ‘Punk’s Dead’, which arrived last August, as well ‘Mirror Muscles’ and ‘Act Violently’.
All releases are cut from Soft Play’s forthcoming album ‘Heavy Jelly’ – their first record in almost six years – which lands July 19.
‘Everything and Nothing’ might have a mournful, sombre tone, drawing inspiration from vocalist and drummer Isaac Holman’s friend Bailey passing, but it still preserves a message of hope in the face of tragedy.
You get a sense of that in the sepia-toned video which celebrates Bailey’s life, with a gathering of his family and friends – have a watch and a listen below.
Discussing the incredibly moving story behind the track’s genesis, and his relationship with his late friend, Isaac has shared:
“I started writing the words in lockdown in the depths of a mental health breakdown. My good mate Bailey had just passed away, Laurie had not long lost his partner, Emma to cancer.
“It was one thing after the next. I got to the line about Bailey and couldn’t for the life of me think of what to say next, so I left it where it was. 3 years later (last year) I went round to Laurie’s and he had just got this mandolin, we laid down the instrumental and I remembered I had these words in the notes on my phone.
“Laurie asked me what it was about and I was having trouble explaining it, then he said “so it’s just like everything and nothing.”
“We demo’d the tune and took it to the studio (lyrics still unfinished). During that stint, I kept seeing people that looked like Bailey, which unlocked the next line of the tune and allowed the rest to come out.’’
Soft Play’s guitarist Laurie Vincent, meanwhile, has added:
“These past few years have been really hard for so many people. The song and video encapsulates the journeys we’ve all been on: loss, love, rebirth, it’s the cycle of life. Raw pain and bitter beauty.”
Soft Play have a busy few months ahead of them with sets at Download Festival, a recently-announced appearance on Glastonbury’s Other Stage and Yungblud’s inaugural Bludfest all on the horizon.
Check out their forthcoming run of shows below – and visit the band’s site for more information and to buy tickets.
JUNE
14th – Donington Park, Download Festival
15th – Czechia, Rock For People
30th – Glastonbury Festival *JUST ANNOUNCED*
JULY
11th-13th – Slovakia, Pohoda Festival
26th – Sheffield, Tramlines
27th – Oxford, Truck Festival
AUGUST
2nd-4th – Derbyshire, Y NOT? Festival
9th – Newquay, Boardmasters
11th – Milton Keynes, Bludfest
25th – Portsmouth, Victorious Festival