The Soft Moon Announces New Album

18 October, 2017
Written by Marky Edison

The Soft Moon has announced his signing to Sacred Bones with details of his fourth studio album Criminal, set for release on February 2, 2018. The now Berlin-based musician has shared the album’s opening track ‘Burn’ and an accompanying lyric video. A confrontation with Luis Vasquez (The Soft Moon)’s true self through torrid bass lines and searing vocals, ‘Burn’ evokes a loss of control akin to demonic possession, chanting: "Eyes, reflecting the person that I am, and it burns". In this track Vasquez's battle with his own guilt bores deeper and deeper into a condemnation: "Fire, hell is where I'll go to live, so I burn”.

Criminal is a confessional work. Through the stark lens of shame and guilt that has followed Luis Vasquez since a violent childhood growing up within the humming ambient sprawl of ‘80s Mojave Desert, here he documents the gut-wrenching sound of going to war with himself. Battling with his own sanity, self-hatred, insecurity, self-entitlement and grappling with the risk of these things transforming him into a person he despises, Vasquez has laid his feelings bare with this: his confession and most self-reflective work to date.

“Guilt is my biggest demon and has been following me since childhood. Everything I do strengthens the narrative that I am guilty” Vasquez reflects. “The concept of Criminal is a desperate attempt to find relief by both confessing to my wrongdoings and by blaming others for their wrongdoings that have affected me.”

Criminal marks a striking and important chapter in his self-exploration, both artistically and emotionally. As a young musician living in Oakland, Vasquez began to try and process the narrative of his difficult upbringing veiled through musical exploration. The Soft Moon is set to perform a select number of live dates this month, including Sacred Bones 10th Anniversary show in Los Angeles and Le Guess Who Festival in the Netherlands. Full tour dates to follow soon.