A favourite discovery of the year, Soot Sprite The band have recently signed to Special Subject, the Exeter-based sad-gaze trio are set to put out their debut EP, “Sharp Tongues”, next month, and have this week shared the latest taste of the record, new single, Vs. Self.
Like much of Sharp Tongues, Vs. Self is a reflection on themes of self-esteem and anxiety, as songwriter Eli Cook explains, “when going through times of heightened anxiety, it’s sometimes difficult to recognise that you’re your own worst enemy”. Lyrically, the track seems to be battling with the danger of constant comparison and the swirling feeling of life tumbling by all too quickly: “I’m tired of fighting with myself, lost sleep and writing doesn’t help, it’s not just one thing spinning round got more plates than a circus clown”, before the track ends with the repeated plea, “slow it all down, slow it all down”. The chaotic tumbling in the lyrics is reflected in the music too, with waves of bright-guitar and propulsive bass creating dense spirals of sound, only settling down at the tracks end into a contemplative stillness. At once familiar and forward thinking, Soot Sprite’s music dips one toe into the late 90’s alternative scene and then sprints forward into 2019, sounding fresh, intriguing and very, very exciting.
From Sharp Tongue 12″ EP out 11th October on Specialist Subject Records.
