Soft Regime

SOFT REGIME: “Hard Feelings” Mini-LP 10”

Surrender to the SOFT REGIME. Is it the sound of the underground, or is the sound of the overground going underground? Either way, SOFT REGIME is a pan-European group of musicians intent on exploring the glorious electronic pop sounds that pump through their hearts and grease their gears.

Christian makes the music and production, Tim (previously leader of electropop band BAXENDALE) writes the words and melodies, and Astrid sings the songs, bringing it all together. Astrid first met Christian in the Bavarian Forest, soon switching the conversation from flora to pop, discovering a shared love for dancing, and recruited Tim to join forces to help things take shape.  

Ever since then, there was no looking back. This 8 track "Hard Feelings" 10” Mini-LP follows their continental disco hit from 2017 "Michelangelo", with its huge chorus and controversial banned video.

Over the course of the year, they added studio crack Nomen Nescio to the mix and delivered this all new set of songs for 2018.

As you'd expect, they had yet another explosive europop cocktail on their hands: think Lio, Icerink Records, GIRLS AT OUR BEST, LA BIONDA, MIKADO, LA CASA AZUL, Kim Wilde, only different.

Eventually, the takes have been sent to Ian Catt's (ELIZABETH CITY STATE, THE FIELD MICE, ALPACA SPORTS) studio down in Croydon for extra mixing and mastering.
Et voilà! Europop at its fizziest, ideal for dancefloors and walkmen.

1. The Soft Regime
Opens with the mission statement of intent. The federation of mild extreme announces its arrival with those first three notes, which are something of a rallying cry to the masses. When you hear this signal, you and your family will be able to give yourself to the regime. You’ll be hearing more from them soon... It's how they lure you in.

2. Lockdown
On your marks, get set, go! This fully realised smash has the band expressing their hard feelings in pure city sound. Of course, you can dance to it. Complete with heart stopping breakdown. Peak time stuff, like SHOCKING BLUE on nutritional supplement. Remanding a huge pop beast in custody is not easy. Armed guards need to be called in. The pop beast is engaging, upbeat, and full of thrilling surprises, but they are not giving anything away to Astrid. She will approach with trepidation.

3. Futura Ad Acta
A change of scenery. Sketches the glories of educated pop designs from the past. Think RAVISHING BEAUTIES, ACT FUSELI, SOFT VERDICT. Just like that love affair from thirty years ago, it is over before it even begins. Quotes Marguerite Duras.

4. Wild Swimming
SOFT REGIME are all serious swimmers, and mid-recording will take any opportunity to seek out a wild aquatic escape from urban city living. “Beyond the trees, the river is waiting patiently” they say. On one such occasion, they made acquaintance with a gentlemen guitarist with a pedigree of searching pop, it was Mr. Dickon Edwards from the groups FOSCA and ORLANDO. A connection was formed and Astrid hit upon the idea of singing a duet with him about their swimming adventures.

5. Johnny
Sometimes life can take you all the way to the departure lounge, but its up to you if you get on the plane. No matter how luxurious the jet is, sometimes it just doesn’t feel right. This song is based on an interview with an ageing 60s socialite in the London Times.

6. Capri Underground
"In August, most of Europe goes on holiday" - Luchino Visconti
From the surface, all you can see is yachts and glorious sunshine, but to the initiated, if you head below the surface, you can find the next level of culture and inspiration. Like music: when you reach the underground level, all wonders are revealed… It was written on the band's works outing to the Phlegrean islands this summer. An ode to secret knowledge and happiness money cannot buy. It features a devastating key change.

7. Nothing Really
Back in the late 80s, synth musician Howard Jones opened a restaurant called “Nowhere” in New York. The idea of course is that people would ask where they are lunching, they would say “Nowhere”. The restaurant burnt to the ground within a year. When listening to this track, if people ask. What are you listening to, the title is the response, and flames are inevitable.

8. A Propos
Here is the signal again, and what follows are instructions on how to be inducted into the SOFT REGIME, these are secrets from the dawn of humankind recently uncovered on the dance floor in a Romanian discotheque. You take the bass, they’ll take the drums, let’s save the world before morning comes. Thank you for paying attention.