Music meteorology: predicting the next wave of megahits and earworms with the tracks they’re teasing and releasing now.
Soft Launch’s meteoric rise has been nothing short of extraordinary.
Words: Stephen Ackroyd.
Every other week, we’re introduced to a new group of floppy-haired lads armed with guitars and dreams of Glastonbury, but current buzz bunch Soft Launch have emerged as something of an anomaly. They’re the boyband that isn’t, the indie outfit that defies categorisation, and now, with their latest single ‘Milkshakes’, they’re the purveyors of what they cheekily call “the song of the summer that we’ve decided to release in September”. It’s this kind of tongue-in-cheek self-awareness that sets Soft Launch apart from most of their more po-faced peers, making them less ‘next big thing’ and more ‘what on earth is this glorious racket?’
This Anglo-Irish quintet – Josh McClorey, Henry Pearce, Conor Price, Ben Quinn, and Ben Limmer – have been causing quite the stir since they burst onto the scene earlier this year with their debut single ‘Cartwheels’. While ‘overnight success’ usually means ‘we’ve been slogging away in obscurity for five years’ [Even if some bores want to paint every shot of hype as some industry mechanism from the darkened shadows – Ed], Soft Launch’s meteoric rise has been nothing short of extraordinary. As Josh told Dork in a moment of wide-eyed disbelief earlier this year, “We had queues around the block before we’d released any music. It was surreal.”
The band’s rise feels undeniably natural, as Josh explains: “We had a bit of a eureka moment: ‘Maybe we should put those songs together and make some more songs and add some more members?’ The gigs and the way the band have grown; it’s all come quite slowly over time and organically. It fell into itself.”
But let’s talk about ‘Milkshakes’, shall we? It’s a slice of retro-futuristic funk that sounds like it was beamed in from an alternate 1970s where disco never died; it just got really, really good. Mixed by the legendary Spike Stent (a man who’s twiddled knobs for everyone from Madonna to Muse), it’s awash in warm, hazy analogue production that makes you want to don a pair of rose-tinted sunglasses and sway gently in a field. Or a bedroom. Or a field-themed bedroom. Whatever floats your boat.
The track is, in their words, “a song for the had-enough crew. The fed up and emotionally drained who want to stand up in protest to the barrage of external noise and just, well, drink milkshakes.” It’s an anthem for the overwhelmed, a rallying cry for those who’ve had it up to here with *gestures vaguely at everything* all of this. In a world that seems to be constantly on fire, both literally and metaphorically, there’s something delightfully subversive about a band saying, “You know what? Sod it. Let’s have a milkshake.”
This isn’t Soft Launch’s first rodeo, mind you. They’ve already gifted us with ‘Cartwheels’, ‘Piano Hands’, and ‘In My Bed’. Each track has offered a fresh glimpse into their kaleidoscopic musical world, a place where genres blur and traditional roles are gleefully tossed out the window. These lads write, produce, and swap instruments with the casual ease of kids trading Pokemon cards. It’s all very impressive and slightly annoying if you’re the type to get envious of multi-talented twenty-somethings.
What’s most striking about Soft Launch, beyond their obvious musical chops, is the sense of collective purpose that permeates everything they do. As Henry notes, “With all of us doing other work and bits, it kinda gave us that peace of mind that all of us have that same hunger, and this is what everyone wants to do. We’ve all been juggling that for the last year or two, and now we’re at this point where we all are…” To which Josh adds, with typical humour, “REALLY GOOD JUGGLERS.”
This collaborative spirit has served them well as they’ve taken their show on the road. Fresh off a summer that saw them conquer everywhere from Rock City to Rock en Seine, All Points East to Reading & Leeds, Soft Launch are now gearing up for their debut headline tour. Starting in Josh’s hometown of Dublin on October 1st (a gig that’s already sold out, because of course it has), they’ll be snaking their way through the UK, hitting everywhere from Glasgow to Brighton, before wrapping things up at The Garage in London on October 15th. If their festival performances are anything to go by, these shows promise to be pseudo-religious experiences. Bring your dancing shoes and possibly a change of clothes.
Soft Launch aren’t just another indie band churning out three-chord ditties about girls and nights out. No, these lads have ambition with a capital ‘A’. As Josh boldly declared, “We want to be quite global, y’know?!” It’s the kind of statement that would sound laughably grandiose coming from most new bands, but with Soft Launch, you find yourself nodding along. Why shouldn’t they be global? In a world where genres are increasingly meaningless, and audiences are hungrier than ever for something fresh, Soft Launch feel like they could be anything they want to be.
Their approach to crafting their sound is equally ambitious. Most bands cobble together an EP in their mate’s garage and hope for the best. Not Soft Launch. These overachievers recorded an entire album before they even met their manager. As Josh explains, “That was quite conscious at the start of all of this. To get an album together even before we met our manager or before we got a table or anything like that. We wanted to figure out exactly what that was because things can change, and once things all start, then it’s too late to be working it all out.”
And what they are is refreshingly hard to pin down. They’ve already got the raw energy and wild adoration of a modern, organic, post-manufactured boyband, but that feels like trying to fit a square peg into a round hole. Yes, they’re boys, and yes, they’re in a band, but the similarities end there. Instead, what you get is five lads who seem genuinely excited to be making music together, each bringing their own flavour to the mix.
Which brings us back to ‘Milkshakes’. In many ways, it’s the perfect distillation of everything that makes Soft Launch intriguing. It’s a summer anthem released as the leaves are turning, a funk track from a band that’s been labelled indie pop, a call to chill out in a world that’s constantly shouting. It’s contradictory and a bit cheeky, much like the band themselves.
As Soft Launch gear up for their tour and inevitably the eventual release of their debut album, they stand at an exciting crossroads. They’ve got the buzz, they’ve got the tunes, and they’ve got a fanbase that’s growing by the day. The question now is, where do they go from here? If ‘Milkshakes’ is any indication, the answer is anywhere they damn well please. So grab a straw, take a sip, and prepare to be refreshed. Just don’t be surprised if you find yourself queueing around the block for their next gig. After all, ‘Milkshakes’ do bring the boys (and girls) to the yard.
LINKS IN BIO
THE NEW BOPS AND BANGERS THEY’RE TEASING FOR IMMINENT RELEASE
GRACEY – RHETORICAL QUESTIONS
Release date: Wednesday 2nd October 2024
Gracey’s big return is already proving a bit of a pop treat. Now gearing up to drop ‘Rhetorical Questions’ on October 2nd – a title that practically dares you to answer back – it’s the follow-up to ‘Delirium’, a track that marked her return after a period of radio silence.
This isn’t just any old comeback – it’s a mini-reinvention. Gracey’s been busy crafting a sound that’s part ’80s euphoria, part hyperpop crunch, all wrapped up in her signature pop hooks. She’s been teasing fans on social media with a barrage of question marks, as if she’s channelling the spirit of a particularly exasperated teacher dealing with a class of hungover sixth formers.
From Xenomania wunderkind at 16, Gracey’s always been ahead of the curve. Now, with ‘Rhetorical Questions’, she’s poised to remind us why she’s amassed over 140 million streams and a BRIT nomination. Less a question mark, more an exclamation of pop brilliance.
YAZ – AMERICAN GIRLS
Release date: Friday 4th October 2024
YAZ, aka Yaz Caramanli, is about to serve up another gem. ‘American Girls’, dropping on October 4th, is the latest offering from her upcoming EP ‘wish you were here’. The London-based popster has been busy documenting her creative process in “the wish you were here diaries”, a series that’s part behind-the-scenes peek, part therapy session. It’s a far cry from her days of covering Ariana Grande on YouTube, but then again, YAZ was never one to stay in her lane. With a voice that could melt butter and lyrics sharp enough to spread it, she’s poised to make waves on both sides of the pond.
RIZZLE KICKS – GUMDROPS
Release date: Friday 4th October 2024
Rizzle Kicks are very firmly back, back(!), BACK(!!!) now, and they’re armed with ‘Gumdrops’. It’s been eight years since Jordan Stephens and Harley Alexander-Sule previously graced us with their cheeky brand of hip-hop, but they’re not here to reminisce about the good old days of 2012 Olympics and top ten hits. No, sir. They’re serving up a fresh batch of tunes, starting with their recent comeback single ‘Javelin’ and now ‘Gumdrops’. They’re not aiming for global domination this time around – just having a laugh and making music they love. It’s like they’ve found the sweet spot between nostalgia and novelty, much like the gumdrops they’re crooning about. Sweet.
LAUREN MAYBERRY – SOMETHING IN THE AIR
Release date: Tuesday 1st October 2024
CHVRCHES vocalist Lauren Mayberry is set to continue her solo venture with ‘Something In The Air’. Following on from previous solo singles ‘Are You Awake?’ and ‘Shame’, Mayberry’s solo work has been exploring more personal territory. With news of her much (much) anticipated debut album to come, there’s a feeling that Lauren packs enough of a lexicon of pop brilliance to provide something both just as inventive and impressive as her work with the band, but also with a completely unique perspective alongside it.
RACHEL CHINOURIRI – EVEN (FEAT. CAT BURNS)
Release date: Wednesday 2nd October 2024
Rachel Chinouriri is teaming up with Cat Burns for ‘Even’, following the critical acclaim of her debut album ‘What a Devastating Turn of Events’, and Cat’s own first full-length ‘Early Twenties’. Though Rachel has had an up and down time of late – forced to cancel US shows but with a string of prime supports and key looks continuing to pile up at her door – a team-up with the equally impressive Burns promises to be a powerhouse move.
PERRIE – YOU GO YOUR WAY
Release date: Friday 4th October 2024
Perrie continues her post-Little Mix solo journey with ‘You Go Your Way’. Following her debut solo single ‘Forget About Us’ and the ballad ‘Tears’, details of her upcoming album remain under wraps, but she’s been open about collaborating with star-studded names including Ed Sheeran and RAYE. In a recent interview with NME, Perrie described her album as diverse, stating, “What I wanted to make sure of was that every song [from] a different genre had a sister or sibling on the album, so it’s not completely mismatched.” ‘You Go Your Way’ is another step on that journey for an artist finding her voice away from the comfort of one of the biggest girl groups of all time.
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