Our featured album this week is ‘No.‘, the tenth studio record from Glasgow-based synth pop/electronic/minimal/dark wave musician Soft Riot (Jack Duckworth aka JJD).
Influenced by many different factors, including the conditions of the pandemic lockdowns and an urge for listening to music favorites from beyond his own scene, “No.” illustrates Soft Riot’s ability to transcend the hallmarks of today’s music environment, which increasingly is fragmenting into smaller and smaller micro-genres.
One can still hear any number of echoes of the spirits of original synth artists in his sound, such as Images in Vogue, The Box, Section 25, Thomas Dolby, Skinny Puppy, Chrome, Cabaret Voltaire, Fad Gadget, Japan and Bill Nelson. However, some of Jack’s halcyon punk influences surface as well, taking inspiration from legendary punk/hardcore labels such as Dischord and Gravity, as listening habits over pandemic steered back towards more guitar-based styles.
Favourite tracks: Linked Between Two Minds, It Never Takes Long To Say No, Just A Vapour…
‘No.‘ is out now via Possession Records/Wave Tension Records. Get it here and stream it below.
No. Tracklisting:
- Linked Between Two Minds
- Crashing Into Tomorrow
- It Never Takes Long To Say No
- Shouldering
- When It Comes On Strong
- Wishing You Were Wrong
- Just A Vapour
- A Spade Is Played Again
- Won’t Fade Out
