Justin Chamberlain’s latest release, “FALLING,” showcases SOFT VEIN’s signature mix of darkwave and electro-pop, merging introspective themes with immersive beats and rhythms ahead of his January release, THROUGH BLINDS.
SOFT VEIN is a musical project built on dualities. Caught between an embrace for love and cynicism, nostalgia and modernity, the warm passion of love, and the coldness of longing. Soft Vein’s recently released single “FALLING,” is a cold tundra of a soundscape standing in contrast to the warmer sounds of his single “GOD WHISPERS” released back in September. FALLING elicits a feeling of melancholy with its cascade of synths and pounding bass drums working to instill into listeners the sensation of embracing the biting winds of winter. Where GOD WHISPERS plays into industrial grit, FALLING contrasts with a casual ennui. The vocals work to highlight these elements with vocoder effects distorting them into a cold robotic sheen.
The beauty of “FALLING” is in its ability to push listeners to dance along with the heavy, punchy beat of the bass drum and hypnotic synth melody. All the while, Chamberlain’s sleek, icy vocals and dour flow of background synths work to trance audiences into a melancholic haze.
SOFT VEIN has described his next project as inspired by a sense of loneliness and observations on life. He mentions wanting to push for elements of heat, desire and fantasy in the sound of their album. Although both statements sound oxymoronic, “FALLING” is a clear example of SOFT VEIN’s capacity to blend opposing themes, soundscapes and musical elements into one cohesive track. SOFT VEIN, aptly described as “nostalgic futurism,” demonstrates in his recent release a capability to draw on his inspirations while pushing the bounds of the genres he plays into without sounding like a pastiche rehashing the auditory cliches of yesteryear. “FALLING” is so clearly darkwave, and yet so uniquely SOFT VEIN.
Both FALLING and GOD WHISPERS will feature on SOFT VEIN’s sophomore album “THROUGH BLINDS,” set to release on January 17, 2025, via Artoffact Records. If either track is any indication of what this project will sound like as a whole, then we can expect a further exploration of SOFT VEIN’s darkly romantic and industrial-tinged electronic music brand.
10/10
Luis Ramirez-Liberato for The B-Side
