Review: "rollercoaster" - Søftbleach
- Azalea Withrow
- 6 minutes ago
- 2 min read
Søftbleach's single "rollercoaster" is one of the first songs they wrote together,
even pre-dating their official union as a band. The song details the heaviness of loving someone who struggles mentally and the pervasiveness of mental illness. The emotional ups and downs compared to the drops of a rollercoaster are grounded in the soft yet strong delivery of the single. The track blends poignant lyricism with paced, atmospheric production that simulates a thoughtful conversation between loved ones. Comforting lyrics serve as an assurance of support in lines like, "I’ll always pull you back when you fall off track. We’re a rollercoaster baby,"
Slow yet strong percussion and electric guitar guide the track's instrumentals. The intense nature of the song's focus is made additionally resonant by moody, atmospheric production. Darla's mellow vocals create pools of sound that allow listeners to see their own reflection. The intimacy found in the track's lyrics is personified in Darla's voice. She creates a whole world between her and the subject. The song relies on reverberated background vocal tracks to aid in creating the track's character dynamic swells. Organically, as the song fades out, the reverberated tracks merge into the electric guitar to create a peaceful convergence at the finale of the haunting ballad.
Søftbleach is a London-based indie alt-pop band formed just at the end of 2024. Fronted by Darla Jade, known for her previous solo career, bandmates Dustin Dooley (multi-instrumentalist, producer) and Jan Simson (drums) also bring over a decade of experience to the sound. Each member has diverse experience in the music industry. Dustin and Jan have worked across a wide array of genres—writing, recording, and performing with artists worldwide since 2012. In December of 2024, the band played their debut show as headliners at The Artisan Tap in Stoke-on-Trent. Their debut single, "Fortress," came out towards the end of 2025, marking the beginning of a promising new act in the indie-pop scene.
Written By Azalea Withrow
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