Since the release of their debut album ‘Game On’ in 2019, a lot has happened to the Danish synthpop couple SOFTWAVE.
Catrine Christensen and Jerry Olsen opened for OMD on their 2020 Scandinavian dates while they have crafted remixes for Andy Bell of ERASURE and one-time PET SHOP BOYS protégé David Cicero.
Following the release of the ‘Aspire’ EP in 2022, its 5 tracks are carried over to ‘things we’ve done’, the follow-up long player to ‘Game On’. In amongst the positive pop sound are lyrics highlighting the challenges of living in a modern world full of dualities. A number of these songs document the couple’s own existential crisis during the worldwide lockdown while seeking to motivate others to achieve new goals.
Recalling a phrase that the Northern English philosopher Rick Astley once sang, ‘Never Gonna Let You Down’ is a song of friendship and solidarity that makes optimistic opener as “that’s what friends are for”. But ‘Taking Life For Granted’ goes all ABBA-esque with someone “lacking gratitude” under attack, although the rousing chorus and a particularly joyous instrumental break provides the infinite hope.
More rugged, ‘Supernova’ is in the classic SOFTWAVE vein, with uplifting verses and choruses over a backing track rich in counter melodies akin to ‘Something Is Missing’ from ‘Game On’; dedicated to Andy Bell himself as a one of a kind worth looking up to, ‘Supernova’ ably captures the bubbly poise of ERASURE. There’s a change of pace with the more sedate ballad ‘I’ll Be Your Safe’ but ‘Wake Up’ plays with rhythm variation to reinforce its tension and hits highs, poignantly declaring “we’ve run out of fuel”.
The bouncy ‘Thank You For Breaking My Heart’ reflects on the positives coming at the end of a toxic relationship, with Christensen declaring “Without you there’s no dark” as light shines again with relief through Olsen’s Vince Clarke-inspired interventions. ‘Through Open Eyes’ takes a darker route for SOFTWAVE, but is still rich in brighter synth motifs.
Fighting back, ‘Don’t Bully Me Again’ gets its message across in a midtempo number seeking détente while the lively yet atmospheric ‘The Deepest Love’ provides a yearning ERASURE-ish anthem with lovely shades of Clarke and Bell’s ‘I Bet You’re Mad at Me’. Ending with maturer austere than previous SOFTWAVE songs, ‘This World’ provides depth in a call to action to encourage people not be afraid of the dark and to stick together in the face of adversity.
For SOFTWAVE, these are the “things we’ve done”, their positive demeanour and pursuit of setting examples as good human beings won’t be for everybody. But with their synthpoptastic drive, there is optimism and a “feel good” factor in their female-fronted ERASURE template as escape from a dour world full of warmongers, conspiracy theorists, narcissists and heartless decision makers.
‘Things We’ve Done’ is released to digital platforms on 13 October 2023, pre-save at https://softwave.lnk.to/softwave
The CD is released on 20 October 2023 with the vinyl LP sometime in 2024, available from https://softwave.bandcamp.com/
SOFTWAVE play the *Depeche Mode & More* Party at the Last Orders Pub in Neubrandenburg, Germany on 21 October 2023
The duo also host their own Halloween Party at Operaen Christiania in København, Denmark with special guests OHNOTHING on 28 October 2023 – tickets available from https://billetto.dk/e/softwave-live-pa-christiania-halloween-party-billetter-865714
SOFTWAVE will perform at ElectriXmas 2023 in Malmö at Inkonst, Sweden on 9 December 2023 alongside SIERRA – tickets available from https://electrixmas.org/tickets/
https://www.facebook.com/SoftWaveMusic/
https://twitter.com/SoftWaveMusic
https://www.instagram.com/softwave_music/
Text by Chi Ming Lai
Photos by Krestine Havemann
10 October 2023
Follow Us!