We didn’t see this coming: Zeal & Ardor mastermind Manuel Gagneux has unveiled a yacht rock side-project called Soft Captain. The group has offered up the vintage-looking video for the song “Too Long.”
Heavy Consequence readers might be familiar with Gagneux from his work in Zeal & Ardor, who we’ve championed time and again on the site. Considering the heavy avant-metal nature of that project, it’s quite a surprise seeing Gagneux wearing a Jimmy Buffett-style sailor hat and singing soft rock.
“I have also a Yacht Rock band now,” Gagneux commented in a social media announcement. “Make of that what you will.”
It’s a testament to his versatility as a vocalist — a central element to both Zeal & Ardor and Soft Captain. On “Too Long,” Gagneux provides smooth, sultry vocals over chilled chords and pocketed beats, courtesy of multi-instrumentalist Samuel Tschudin and drummer Flo Haas, respectively.
The trio also embrace the inherent humor of the project, literally cruising around on a yacht in the song’s music video. Director Miro Widmer even shot it in a way that amplifies the clip’s late ’70s / early ’80s vibes.
Add Soft Captain to Gagneux’s growing list of musical endeavors. The prolific artist also creates pop music under the Birdmask moniker and has the electronic project GEIZ.
Below you can watch the video for Soft Captain’s “Too Long.”