SoftTop – ‘Gathering Dust’ album review: Like a true fine wine
Cosy backrooms of pubs, candlelight dancing up the walls, smooth wine slipping down the throat, and maybe a few nibbles on the side. If SoftTop could bottle that into an album, they’d be millionaires.
The Skinny: Certainly, if they could achieve that, they’d have completed their mission very quickly. Yet the Brighton seven-piece, who only formed in March 2023 under the helm of songwriter Miles Goodall, have without question delivered a rare and rich taste on their debut record, Gathering Dust.
Yes, it’s indie music on the face of it, but there is actually so much more that lies beneath the surface that makes SoftTop much more robust under their tender veneer. Their sound is decadent and inviting, luxurious but never overly precocious. Without putting too fine a point on it, they come out with something quite unexpected.
That begins from the very first note of the opening song ‘Into a Dream’, but the reality is that the listener isn’t actually introduced to the band’s real vocals until the next track, ‘Your Aching Words’. The ingenuity of that gentle piano opening lulls one into a sense of security; a beckoning of the hand that makes it very easy to come along for the journey.
By the time this is then contrasted with the soft bounce of ‘Your Aching Words’, and continued subsequently into songs like ‘Layla’s House’, where the layered orchestrations provide a truly full picture without feeling either sparse or overwrought in any place. Yet by the same token, is this richness masking something far darker?
The answer to that question would obviously be yes, as the further you dive into the lyrics, a truly stark narrative begins to unfurl. Goodall’s voice seems searing and tender, but the reason for that is that he has to be plain in depicting the story of a man who dies after being hit by a car, and the feelings of space and dissociation that his departure brings.
In all honesty, the album could fall victim to misconception if audiences only really appreciated the bluesy, jazz-like sonics that create an easy listening experience. The narrative certainly packs a punch, but only if you’re really taking the time to seek it out. Otherwise, in backrooms of pubs while a few glasses of wine deep, it’s likely to become a little lost.
Nevertheless, Gathering Dust is a startling debut impression from a band that are bringing together the best of Brighton, and displaying that there is far more to the sonics of the seaside scene than just the sunshine overtures. It seems, contrary to what the name suggests, that this is a band unlikely to become a forgotten artefact anytime soon.
Standout Track: ‘Rearview Mirror’
The Verdict: Without wanting to sound brutal or unnecessarily harsh, SoftTop aren’t going to be selling out huge crowds anytime soon. But in a lot of ways, being in the back of a bar, sipping a drink and beguiling the listener into the liminal world of Gathering Dust is exactly where they’ll want to be for the foreseeable future. Get the red wine out, and let the trance begin.
Release Date: June 19th, 2026 | Producer: Miles Goodall | Label: Crafting Room Recordings
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