California darkwave artist SOFT VEIN (Justin Chamberlain) is back with another single from his upcoming breakout album 'PRESSED IN GLASS' (out 20/10/2023). Teaming up with Artoffact Records to share his debut full-length release, this intriguing new artist today gives us another taste of what's to come in the form of the album's third single – 'Perfect Teeth'.
'Perfect Teeth' is one of the darker, more industrial / EBM-leaning tracks on the upcoming album – tapping into Chamberlain's influences like Nitzer Ebb, Panther Modern, and Boy Harsher, but leaving space carved out for something fresh and unique, something SOFT VEIN. Partly inspired by the Swedish horror film 'Let The Right One In,' the track uses throbbing synth basslines and driving drum patterns to include sonic nods to horror scores like 'Carpenter' and 'Morricone'. Its lyrical allusions to skinwalkers and vampires give the song its darker shade as icy, moaning vocals conjure haunting metaphors for the human psyche at its most isolated and desperate.
On today's single, Chamberlain comments: "I was watching the film 'Let The Right One In' and it's always inspired me. Something about the beauty, isolation, and longing expressed in it – these metaphors for fragile love and fear combined with all this really gorgeous visceral horror imagery. All this 'bright red blood in the snow at midnight' type stuff. I find it really beautiful and creepy and inspiring and I wanted to evoke some of that imagery and vibe as a metaphor in a song."
Written and recorded entirely by SOFT VEIN, ‘PRESSED IN GLASS’ gets its finishing touch and lush polished sound thanks to the mixing and mastering skills of Ewan Alastair Kay, known for his work with KONTRAVOID, Zanias and other electronic artists. The most recent single, 'LEASH', is subtle but strong; the bewitching track demands listeners' full attention with haunting vocals, driving synth bass, and EBM/industrial inspired drums.
LISTEN TO 'PERFECT TEETH' HERE
LISTEN TO 'LEASH' HERE
LISTEN TO 'BLOODLETTING' HERE
PRE-ORDER 'PRESSED IN GLASS' HERE
Blending influences from cold wave, industrial, and modern darkwave, ‘PRESSED IN GLASS’ sounds at times urgent, visceral, and dangerous; a singular, cold vocal brooding over minimalist drum machines, metallic synthetic percussion, lurking synth basslines and haunting synthesizers. At other times, the record’s pulsing synth basslines and heartbeat drum machines give rise to a dreamy, darkly romantic sound, while a more surrendered vocal echoes over lush synthesizer and guitar arrangements – all combining to flash grainy pictures of love and lust in a dark room.
Chamberlain's solo project debuted in late 2022 with a pair of singles – the haunting ‘GIVEUPTHEGHOST’ and its industrial-tinged successor ‘VIOLENTIA’. If you're into Selofan, Panther Modern, Boy Harsher, Mareux, Twin Tribes, or all of the above, this is for you! Having earned a following from the aforementioned singles, as well as a string of select performances featuring previously unreleased material, POST-PUNK.COM says SOFT VEIN “...paints a vivid picture of desperation and lust in the dark, but with a strangely romantic bend.”
SOFT VEIN ONLINE:
Website // Facebook // Instagram // Twitter
ARTOFFACT RECORDS ONLINE:
Website // Facebook // Instagram // Twitter
