The French duo talks cinematic soundscapes, mystery, and their electrifying debut live performance.
French instrumental duo Need Soft, twin brothers Alex and Lucas IASSA, craft immersive soundscapes blending soul, trip-hop, dream pop, and progressive rock.
Since 2017, their atmospheric productions have invited introspection, drawing from nature, technology, and raw emotion.
Their latest EP, HOURS, explores fleeting moments of inspiration through six genre-defying tracks, while their debut live video, Live at Limusic, captures their cinematic energy in a converted vineyard studio.
In this interview, the duo discusses their creative process, dream collaborations (from Blade Runner 2049 to Zelda), and the “darker, more mysterious” turn in HOURS.
They also reveal their ambitions to step onto the stage, blending visual artistry with their hypnotic sound.
Balancing day jobs with their passion, Need Soft remains fiercely independent, proof that innovation thrives where dedication meets eclectic taste.
Happy: What have you been up to today?
Alex: I went to work in Paris (I’m currently an insurance broker) and, of course, I listened to music and played guitar.
Lucas: I made music and applied for a job so that I could continue doing so! We are independent and self-financed! For now, music alone does not allow us to make a living financially speaking.
Happy: Tell us a little about where you’re from, and what you love about it?
Alex and Lucas: We are French, originally from Val-d’Oise (a department in the Île-de-France region), so we are very close to Paris, which gives us quick access to a rich cultural and artistic heritage.
There are also many recording studios where we can produce our projects. Whenever we can, we love to stroll around the historic district of Saint-Michel, where Notre-Dame de Paris is located.
It’s very cool, very cosmopolitan, with lots of restaurants, record stores, and bookshops.
Happy: What inspired you to record a full live set at Limusic?
Alex and Lucas: We wanted to record a live set to showcase ourselves and introduce people to our music. We don’t think there’s a better way to do it.
We’ve discovered many bands and artists this way. We were also looking for a special place with a strong visual dimension. With Limusic Studios, we got exactly what we wanted!
They’re truly incredible, with an atmosphere unlike anything we’d experienced before (it’s a former vineyard in Limoux, in the south of France, which was bought and converted into a music residence by German artists). The space and natural reverb of the studio where we performed were fabulous!
Happy: There’s some incredible live sets (i.e., From the Basement, NPR’s Tiny Desk etc) floating around, are there any specific performances that you hold close to your heart?
Lucas: Yes, we love watching these kinds of live sets. That’s not an easy question, haha, there are so many! I’ll base my answer on what I’ve seen recently.
I loved Salin’s performance (an incredible young drummer born in Thailand) when she appeared on KEXP. Her energy and mix of genres blew me away. Her band is very good. I also enjoyed looking at their outfits and jewelry, which are gorgeous and well coordinated.
It’s beautiful to see. I also remember Maxwell’s performance on NPR’s Tiny Desk, which was really great! He’s always on top form and seems so nice too. Otherwise, there’s always the legendary performance by Anderson Paak & The Free Nationals on NPR’s Tiny Desk!
Alex: Yes, there are so many, for example the performances by Crumb, M83 (a French band) and Glass Beams at KEXP. I must admit that Lucas and I particularly enjoy this live radio station.
In a different genre, I also loved the filmed live performance by the band Air (also French) in May 2024 at the Royal Albert Hall in London. Their artistic vision, both musically and visually, was extraordinary!
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Happy: The camera work in Live at Limusic is particularly alluring, could you explain how cirusprod and the team conveyed your intended atmosphere?
Alex and Lucas: It was a real pleasure working with them, they are very friendly and super talented! They had five cameras to film our performance. They really listened to what we wanted and had some great ideas.
For example, the camera above Lucas filming him playing the drums on “Tonight” or the use of a smoke machine to add texture and a specific tone to the image.
In short, they knew how to use the right tools to achieve our artistic vision. We also think of the neon lights on “I Don’t Know.” The result is very elegant. We were also able to work together on the editing of the video.
This made it easier to achieve what we had in mind, particularly in terms of the choice of shots, color correction, and font for the song titles. We were able to use the same font as on our EP “HOURS”.
Happy: “21H13” features some singing and songwriting, which contrasts with your other tracks which lack vocals. What prompted this change, and will we hear more singing in future projects?
Alex: Basically, this track is a demo by Lucas that immediately caught my attention. The atmosphere of the song seemed perfect for telling a story, and we thought it would be cool to express it by speaking as if in a fairy tale.
We also brought in a singer to embody this famous goddess and add contrast and dynamism to the track. Unexpectedly, our work ended up resembling bands like Air and Massive Attack, who have become inspirations over time.
We’d like to incorporate more vocals in the future, it’s something we’re thinking about.
Lucas: Yes, we would love to. There’s no denying the musical interest and appeal that a voice brings, as well as the fact that it opens us up to a wider audience, but we’re not forcing ourselves to do anything.
Our identity is based mainly on our instrumental duo. But with the right people for the right songs, we’d be delighted!
Happy: You describe HOURS as having a “darker, more mysterious touch.” Was this intentional from the start, or did it evolve naturally during production?
Alex: Yes, in terms of the concept of mystery. It’s something that has always fascinated Lucas and me. We clearly seek to surprise listeners with our music, in one way or another.
The darker touch did indeed come about without any real intention on our part. But I suppose it’s linked to our perception of life, which seems much more complex and subtle as we get older.
Lucas: It came naturally during the production and arrangement of the EP. I still remember when Alex played me the demo of “00H00.” The transition with the voice sample and synths (just before the drums come in) was completely unexpected! I had no idea what was going to happen next.
After that, it’s typical of us, we often like to add mystery to what we produce, to surprise each other, we find it very exciting. But I think that for “HOURS,” there’s mystery in all the tracks.
The dark side is what we noticed when we compared it to other projects we’ve done, particularly in terms of the visual aspect (the EP cover is entirely black with only the title “HOURS” in neon yellow) and certain darker sounds, such as on “14H30” with its haunting, saturated guitars and anxiety-inducing synths.
Unconsciously, it’s also a metaphor for the fact that today, we want to show ourselves, perform live, and meet our audience. Things we haven’t really done, or have done very little of, until now.
Happy: Film and video game scores are a dream collaboration. If you could score any existing movie or game, which would it be and why?
Alex: It’s hard to choose just one, but I would say Sofia Coppola’s “Lost in Translation” because it’s one of my favorite films. Its message resonates with me, and I have no trouble identifying with the main characters, whether they are played by Scarlett Johansson or Bill Murray.
The Japanese landscapes allow you to escape, and then there’s the birth of an impossible love story between these two protagonists, which is treated with great elegance and modesty by the director.
I am a huge fan of her work on this film, which also has a great soundtrack! When it comes to video games, I would definitely choose the latest 3D version of The Legend of Zelda (“Tears of the Kingdom”) for its adventure, epic feel, and ability to transport us to many different worlds.
I consider this saga to be one of the best ever created in the world of video games. In fact, the episode “Skyward Sword” served as inspiration for the lyrics of “21H13.”
Lucas: Hmm, that’s not an easy question to answer either, haha! For me, it would be a science fiction film like “Blade Runner 2049” (Denis Villeneuve, 2017) or a romantic film like “H.E.R.” (Spike Jonze, 2013). In any case, more than the genre, I’d choose a film with an interesting and sophisticated artistic aesthetic.
I think our music would be well suited to this kind of project, particularly because of the atmospheres we create with the guitar and synths (a mix of electronic and organic sounds).
I would also love to work on an anime in the style of “Cowboy Bebop” (the 1998 series directed by Shin’ichirō) or Neon Genesis Evangelion (the 1995 series directed by Hideaki Anno), which I saw recently.
For a video game, it would be a racing game like F-ZERO or Fast Fusion, which has just been released on Nintendo Switch 2, for its dynamism and futuristic feel! It would be great fun to compose!
Happy: If Live at Limusic had a central emotion or message, what would it be?
Alex and Lucas: It’s time to step out of the shadows and take the stage!
Happy: Lastly, what makes you happy?
Alex: Lots of things, but especially listening to music, playing music with my brother, putting the world to rights with him, going to the movies, playing video games, or going for walks in Paris.
Seeing my parents or spending time with my friends in a good restaurant also makes me happy.
Lucas: Listening to music, spending quality time with my family and friends, digging through a record store, watching an inspiring movie or series, eating!
