Soft Play has unveiled their latest single, ‘Everything and Nothing’, as a preview of their upcoming album Heavy Jelly, set for release on 19th July. The band is set to perform at the Other Stage at this year’s Glastonbury Festival in June.
Kerrang! praised the single, stating, “‘Everything and Nothing’ is Soft Play simultaneously at their heaviest and most vulnerable. It ruminates on profound loss and the ravaging, devastating effects that that has on the human heart, but also the strength that can come from it – as well as all the joy and fun that, despite everything, is still to be found in life.”
DIY Magazine added, “Heavy Jelly might be 2024’s sweetest comeback.”
After releasing singles like ‘Punk’s Dead’, ‘Mirror Muscles’, and ‘Act Violently’, Soft Play’s new album Heavy Jelly marks their return after nearly six years. The band has received significant acclaim, with premieres on Radio 1 by Jack Saunders and Clara Amfo, and Apple Music by Zane Lowe. The album’s latest single, ‘Everything and Nothing’, was first aired as Jack Saunders’ Hottest Record on Radio 1.
The track stands out from Soft Play’s previous works, featuring jangly mandolin and mournful violin and Isaac Holman’s raw, vulnerable vocals. Inspired by the loss of Holman’s friend and other personal hardships, the song balances themes of loss with hope, encapsulated in the final words, “I feel love.”
Isaac Holman shared, “I started writing the words in lockdown in the depths of a mental health breakdown. My good mate Bailey had just passed away, Laurie had not long lost his partner, Emma, to cancer. It was one thing after the next… Laurie asked me what it was about and I was having trouble explaining it, then he said, ‘so it’s just like everything and nothing.’”
Laurie Vincent added, “These past few years have been really hard for so many people. The song and video encapsulate the journeys we’ve all been on: loss, love, rebirth, it’s the cycle of life. Raw pain and bitter beauty.”
The accompanying video, directed by Thomas Davis, celebrates Bailey’s life, featuring Soft Play performing at a gathering of his family and friends. Shot in black-and-white, the video concludes with a touching photo of Bailey’s mum, underscoring the power of human connection.
Heavy Jelly is available for pre-order now, including a special jelly green vinyl, signed CDs, and other exclusive items.
Soft Play will also be performing at several festivals this summer, including:
June
- 14th – Donington Park, Download Festival
- 15th – Czechia, Rock For People
- 30th – Glastonbury Festival
July
- 11th-13th – Slovakia, Pohoda Festival
- 26th – Sheffield, Tramlines
- 27th – Oxford, Truck Festival
August
- 2nd-4th – Derbyshire, Y NOT? Festival
- 9th – Newquay, Boardmasters
- 11th – Milton Keynes, Bludfest
- 25th – Portsmouth, Victorious Festival
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