‘Daylight in the Dark’ by SoftSun | New Album
Exclusive video premiere of ‘Daylight in the Dark’ by SoftSun, the California desert-meets-Norway shoegaze and post-rock project featuring Gary Arce (Yawning Man, Fatso Jetson) on guitar, Pia Isaksen (Pia Isa) on bass and vocals, and Dan Joeright (Earth Moon Earth) on drums.
SoftSun is what happens when three sonic voyagers—Gary Arce, Pia Isaksen, and Dan Joeright—collide head-on in a desert mirage, guitars blazing, bass rumbling, and drums that stretch time like a warped VHS tape. They formed in 2023, but it’s as if they’ve been echoing across the desert sands forever, conjuring up sounds that feel like they’ve been beamed from a lonely radio station on some distant, forgotten planet. In just a few months, they’ve not only laid down a full album but already spun out a split record too.
Arce, hailing from La Quinta, California, is practically the desert’s unofficial troubadour, having cut his teeth under the baking sun as a punk kid, strumming his way through Yawning Man, Fatso Jetson, and a host of other bands like Ten East, Dark Tooth Encounter, Big Scenic Nowhere, Yawning Balch. Since his days as a young punk kid playing in the desert, he’s crafted a style all his own, known for creating lush, ethereal sounds and melodies that are entirely unique—like nothing you’ve ever heard before.
On the other side of the globe, there’s Pia Isaksen from Moss, Norway, bringing the Nordic chill to this blazing soundscape. Her bass lines are heavy enough to sink a ship, but they glide through the mix like a phantom. And those vocals—haunting doesn’t even cut it. She’s been at it for years with Superlynx, but now she’s got a new mission as a solo project, Pia Isa, that’s got another record dropping June 2024.
And then there’s Dan Joeright, the cosmic drummer that played with everyone from The Rentals to Sasquatch, and now he’s behind the kit at his own Gatos Trail Recording Studio in Yucca Valley, where SoftSun conjure their magic. His beats don’t rush—they slowly unfold…
Speaking about today’s premiering track the band says: “We are really excited to finally share our second single ‘Daylight in the Dark,’ which is one of the first songs we wrote together. The song came out of riffs sent from Norway to California and back and talks between Gary and Pia about different ways to escape the world to find clarity and peace of mind. Gary’s many hikes in the desert at night became a big inspiration for both the song and the video.”
Together, these three are the creative force behind SoftSun, delivering a sound that’s somehow heavy, mellow, and dreamy all at once—like falling asleep under a sky full of stars while the desert hums its low, secret songs. With their debut album on the horizon and plans to hit the stage by fall 2024, the anticipation is already building.
You can pre-order the album here.
Headline photo: Aaron Farinelli
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