SoftSun: Debut LP Daylight in the Dark Out Nov. 8
There’s a chant-like quality to Gary Arce‘s guitar on the first SoftSun single from their upcoming debut album, Daylight in the Dark, and if “Unholy Water” is representative in any way of the scope of the rest of the LP — as one would hope, considering it’s also the first song the project has ever released — that will be just fine for how fluidly Pia Isaksen‘s vocals rest alongside.
Isaksen, also of Superlynx and adjacent solo work, and Arce, also of Yawning Man and numerous orbital projects, are joined in SoftSun by drummer/engineer Dan Joeright, also of Earth Moon Earth, who gives shape to the flow on “Unholy Water,” and while it should come as no surprise to anybody familiar with any of the trio’s work elsewhere that atmosphere is a central focus, it is, and it works. You know who they are. They know who they are. Everybody vibes accordingly.
As previously announced, it’s Ripple Music handling the release, and I look forward to exhausting my metaphors for languid, liquefied groove sometime between now and Nov. 8 when Daylight in the Dark comes out. Until that happens, here’s this from the PR wire:
OFTSUN (with Yawning Man, Pia Isa members) to release debut album “Daylight in the Dark” on Ripple Music; first track streaming!
SoftSun, the new dronegaze and post-rock trio formed by Gary Arce (Yawning Man, Fatso Jetson) on guitar, Pia Isaksen (Pia Isa) on bass and vocals and Dan Joeright (Earth Moon Earth) on drums, announce the release of their debut album “Daylight in the Dark” this November 8th through Ripple Music.
SoftSun is the result of a divine collaboration between very unique and visionary musicians. Pia Isaksen and Gary Arce along with Dan Joeright come from opposite sides of the world. Vocalist and bass player Pia Isaksen grew up in Norway, while Gary Arce and drummer Dan Joeright are based in the Southern California Mojave desert.
The environments they occupy are evident in the beautifully heavy yet ethereal sound of this band. Arce’s dreamscaping cinematic guitar work gives a stark contrast of balance to the heavy melodic bass driven compositions. Pia’s voice, ethereal in nature, levitates the sound and brings a dreamlike shoegaze quality to the songs. Cocteau Twins, True Widow, Yawning Man, Diiv would be appropriate reference points for this unique approach to songwriting.
Debut album “Daylight in the Dark”
Out November 8th on Ripple Music (LP/CD/digital)
TRACKLIST:
1. Unholy Waters
2. Daylight in the Dark
3. Exit Wounds
4. Continents
5. Dragged Across the Desert Floor
6. Soft Sun
SoftSun was formed in 2023 by Gary Arce, Pia Isaksen and Dan Joeright after Arce and Isaksen had been wanting to make music together for several years. It all started in 2020 when Arce played guitar on the first album by Isaksen’s solo project Pia Isa. Discovering how perfect their musical expressions fit together they knew they really wanted to create more music together. With Arce’s unique and beautiful guitar melodies and sounds, Isaksen’s heavy bass and haunting vocals combined with Joeright’s perfectly patient drumming, SoftSun delivers heavy mellow and dreamy music with its own sound.
After a few years of collaborating on two of Pia’s albums from opposite sides of the planet (Moss in Norway and Yucca Valley in California) and becoming good friends, Gary and Pia finally met in person in late 2023. They instantly became inseparable and started planning their musical project.
The first SoftSun songs were written by Pia in Moss and sent to with Gary who wrote guitar melodies for them in Yucca Valley before Pia then got on the plane to California in January 2024. During three weeks they wrote more songs and got together with drummer and studio owner Dan Joeright who turned out to be a perfect fit for the band. After only three practices and two and a half days in Gatos Trail Recording Studio, the trio recorded their first album live. The vocals were done by Pia back in Norway before. Dan then mixed the album. On Pia’s next trip to California six weeks later, the trio booked another studio session and recorded a few more songs. The result is their debut album “Daylight in the Dark”, to be released in November 2024 through Californian independent label Ripple Music.
The album was engineered by Dan Joeright and Aaron Farinelli at Gatos Trail Recording Studio, mixed by Dan Joeright and mastered by Kent Stump. Artwork and layout by Pia Isaksen.
SOFTSUN line-up
Gary Arce – Guitars
Pia Isaksen – Bass and vocals
Dan Joeright – Drums
Photo by @aaronfarinelli
https://www.facebook.com/people/SoftSun/61557870166741/
https://www.instagram.com/softsunofficial/
https://softsunband.bandcamp.com/
https://open.spotify.com/artist/0koex03KctujRuxwz8bNhu
https://www.facebook.com/theripplemusic/
https://www.instagram.com/ripplemusic/
https://ripplemusic.bandcamp.com/
http://www.ripple-music.com/
