The Philly quintet trades shoegaze reverb for razor-wire riffs, anthemic screams, and post-punk catharsis.
Philadelphia’s SOFT NO arrived with a clear identity on their debut EP, a gauzy, shoegaze-inflected hum that felt intentional, even if the band insists it was accidental.
But with their sophomore effort, Super Neutral, the genre-blurring quintet does something genuinely bold: they floor the gas.
The result is an exhilarating reinvention, a five-song collection that trades dreamy reverb for razor-wire riffs, punk aggression, and post-punk groove. Where their first release drifted, Super Neutral lunges.
Opener ‘Oxford St.’ sets the tone with urgent, anthemic energy, serrated alt-rock guitars and a rhythm section (Jonathan Martello’s drums are a revelation here) that refuses to sit still.
It’s the sound of a band that stopped over-critiquing itself and started having fun.
Co-lead vocalist Allison Lannutti, restless with shoegaze’s slower pulse, pushes into something “more punky,” and her first recorded scream on ‘Probably Fine’ is a genuine thrill.
That track writhes on a rubbery bassline while loud-quiet dynamics explode around it, post-hardcore meets power-pop.
Yet SOFT NO haven’t abandoned their ethereal side. Keyboardist Kate Lowe fought to keep the emotive instrumental passages intact, and that tension pays off beautifully.
‘Don’t They Love You’ channels goth flair and minor-key melancholy, with chiming guitars, atmospheric synths, and Lannutti’s delicately haunting vocals painting a dream-fantasy of desperate love.
The title track, meanwhile, showcases their dual-singer chemistry (Lannutti and lead guitarist Austin Lotz) and an outro of breathtaking cinematic intimacy.
Produced with Mark Watter at Headroom Studios, Super Neutral is anything but placid, despite its name, which singer Lannutti jokes comes from keeping family peace during political holidays.
This is an artistically assured band stepping out of its comfort zone and landing somewhere thrillingly alive.
RIYL Wednesday, Momma, or Veruca Salt? Absolutely. But SOFT NO ultimately sounds like none of them.
They sound like themselves, just faster, weirder, and more present.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO HAVE YOUR NEXT RELEASE REVIEWED BY HAPPY MAG? IF SO PLEASE SHARE YOU TRACK HERE:
SUBMIT
