Earliest this month, I attended a Brighton show for the tour of Declan McKenna’s third album What Happened to the Beach?, supported by rock band Wunderhorse and the budding five-piece group Soft Launch. Commended by the likes of CMAT and Declan McKenna, the part-Irish quintet are my new obsession and an electric burst of energy onto the indie-rock scene. Their debut single, “Cartwheels” was released on 2nd April. The single was first played on BBC Radio 1 last week when McKenna sat in for Clara Amfo, and has since featured on the cover of Spotify’s ‘RADAR: First Listen Artist’ segment.
The band consists of vocalists Josh McClorey, Benedict Quinn, Conor Price and Henry Pearce, as well as drummer, Ben Limmer. All five members of the group interchange instruments, write, produce and even contribute towards the creative process of the music video itself. Their debut single is an addictive high-energy track, simultaneously blending synth melodies and witty lyrics like “Seeing the sun/ Wrapped in Egyptian sheets/ I bought them on TK Maxx/ I got a mind/ To take them back.” With resonances of Inhaler and Vampire Weekend, this tune is the perfect, sunshine-filled soundtrack for the upcoming summer months.
Soft Launch are my new obsession and an electric burst of energy onto the indie-rock scene.
Soft Launch are currently touring Europe with Declan McKenna, but the band performed a sold-out show at The Grace in Islington last month, and are set to play a headline show in Hackney on 14th June. Their debut single “Cartwheels” is out now, and signals only the beginning of a vibrant future for the band. I will most definitely be keeping an eye on their socials with the hopes of an EP in the near future.
