Following the announcement of their fourth studio album and first album in six years, ‘HEAVY JELLY‘, UK-based duo SOFT PLAY have just revealed their latest cut, ‘Everything and Nothing‘. ‘HEAVY JELLY’ is due Friday, July 19 via BMG. Pre-save/Pre-order HERE.
‘Everything and Nothing’ is a subversive step away from what you’d expect from SOFT PLAY. In contrast to the full visceral attack of ‘Act Violently‘, ‘Everything and Nothing’ is dominated by jangly mandolin and mournful violin. Yet this isn’t a token ballad, with Isaac Holman‘s blood-letting vocals as raw, uncompromising and vulnerable as ever. It was in part inspired by the passing of Isaac’s friend, but loss is countered by hope: its final words (“I feel love”) neatly encapsulate the emotional honesty that the duo express throughout much of the ‘HEAVY JELLY’ album.
Isaac says, “I started writing the words in lockdown in the depths of a mental health breakdown. My good mate Bailey had just passed away, and 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. Three 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.”
Laurie Vincent adds, “These past few years have been really hard for so many people. The song and video encapsulate the journeys we’ve all been on: loss, love, rebirth, it’s the cycle of life. Raw pain and bitter beauty.”
The ‘Everything and Nothing’ video celebrates Bailey’s life with a touching moment of communion and remembrance. Isaac and Laurie perform the song as they host a gathering of his family and friends. Together, they pay tribute to their late friend, sharing stories and memories before the video closes with a final photo of his mum. It’s a moment in which loss is palpable, but the power of human connections shines through. Shot in evocative black-and-white photography, the video was directed by SOFT PLAY’s regular visual collaborator Thomas Davis.
SOFT PLAY’s against-all-odds comeback has been greeted by a wave of tastemaker acclaim, with premieres from Jack Saunders and Clara Amfo at BBC Radio 1 and Zane Lowe at Apple Music, as well as in-depth cover features from Kerrang! and DIY.
Formerly known as Slaves, SOFT PLAY have made an indelible impact and sliced their own niche in the UK music scene – achieving three Top 10 albums, Gold certification, a Mercury Prize nomination, headlining Alexandra Palace, and even working with Mike D of Beastie Boys.
After playing select shows in 2023, including an arena tour with The Prodigy plus festival sets at Reading & Leeds and headlining 2000trees, SOFT PLAY raise the bar this summer with the announcement that they’ll be playing The Other Stage at this year’s Glastonbury Festival. Additional summer shows include Download (UK), Truck and Boardmasters.
‘HEAVY JELLY’ is available to pre-order HERE. Physical formats include CD, black vinyl, a signed CD exclusive to HMV, and a limited green vinyl that’s only available via the band’s official store and select indie retailers.
‘Everything and Nothing’ is available worldwide now via BMG
‘HEAVY JELLY’ will be available on Friday, July 19, via BMG
Pre-Order HERE
