
Thanks to Altvenger for this considered and comprehensive review of the new album When Push Comes To Shove:
After his outstanding 2018 album The Outsider In The Mirrors, Soft Riot has surprised us with another brilliant release. When Push Comes To Shove is the seventh studio album by the Glasgow based Canadian artist JJD, who goes by the stage name of Soft Riot.
Jack continues the tradition of writing synth-pop danceable songs that aren’t necessarily as poppy as one would imagine. There’s more to his vision of synth-pop; it comes with a dark twist, it’s minimalistic and, at times, reminiscent of italo disco. Although you may recognize some 80s influences, his work sounds surprisingly futuristic and experimental. JJD often speaks about the feelings of isolation, alienation, anxiety and paranoia, but he delivers these ideas with his recognisable sense of dark humour; the lyrics vary from abstract themes to a very personal dimension. Humour is a tool Jack employs skilfully; you can find it in his synth arrangements as well.
If you’re listening to Soft Riot for the first time, this release can take you by surprise; it’s genuine work of art and you won’t be able to pin-point the sound as a specific genre, but rather as a mix of elements from many different music inspirations.
Read the whole review, linked below: