The Soft Moon Unveil New Album “Exister”

The Soft Moon, aka multi instrumentalist Luis Vasquez, has revealed Exister, the powerful, vulnerably therapeutic new full length that is out now via Sacred Bones Records. Exister is a record rooted in the ecstatic joys and crippling lows that life can throw up and how just hanging on and existing is sometimes all we have. The reason the album exists as such a personal one for Vasquez is because his life underwent a lot of changes throughout its creation. He left Berlin, his home of many years, and moved to the Joshua Tree to find some space musically, and personally, during lockdown.

For one, he could actually play drums, which he’s never been able to do before due to space constraints. Even his first album, which was typified by his whispering vocal style, was because of his neighbour situation. In the Joshua Tree, he could unleash himself and let rip and the clearest, and most symbolic result of that, is the prominent, powerful vocals of Vasquez that truly capture someone gaining confidence in their own voice. Sonically, this expression is a vast, expansive and potent one. The opening Sad Song, which unfurls with a dense brooding atmosphere, The Pit captures the opposite end of the musical spectrum, exploding as a thundering piece of industrial techno complete with gut-churning bass, and Become The Lies, a track that explores the devastating consequences of being lied to by your own family and is a post-punk stomper, merging charging basslines, pummelling drums and snaking guitars.

Despite the pain, anger, vulnerability, and hurt that can be found at the core of this record, there’s also a profound sense of hope and beauty. This transition from a place of discomfort to one of relief is key for Vasquez when making a record and going through a process of healing. It’s been a cathartic process for an artist who can find the creative process quite torturous and fear-inducing. “The whole point of this record was to share every emotion that I feel. No two songs are the same. It’s about existing in the world as a human being and experiencing many emotions and experiences throughout life. Exister is my way of saying ‘I’m here, deal with it.“