News

Presence Not Absence - Volar Records | Cover Art

Presence Not Absence Compilation

8 August 2020

Volar Records has just released a new 22 track compilation entitled Presence Not Absence including the Soft Riot track “There Just Isn’t Enough Time II”, from the Taking Off The Edge digital single, which aims to raise funds for Trans BIPOC Housing Assistance.

Soft Riot Merch - BandCamp Friday August Sale

BandCamp Friday August Sale

7 August 2020

BandCamp is doing one of those fee waive days all day today so I thought I’d add to that and offer the sale code — august20 — that gets anyone and additional 20% off in the online store, which ends on the end of Sunday, August 9th.

Soft Riot "Laughter Takes Off The Edge" | Video Still

“Laughter Takes Off The Edge” Video Premiere on The Brvtalist

21 July 2020

A new video for the track “Laughter Takes Off The Edge” from the album Chin Up premieres on The Brvtalist today, an online magazine dealing with mutant metropolitan culture and generally music on the darker side of the spectrum.

jjdinfo.com | Screenshot

A New Online Portfolio: jjdinfo.com

30 June 2020

A new website has gone up at jjdinfo.com, a portfolio for graphic design, art and video production by yours truly, which includes a lot of the video and graphic design work for Soft Riot.

Null/Void & Nice N Sleazy Live Stream | 21 June 2020 | Featured Image

Video Live Performance for Null/Void

19 June 2020

This Sunday I’ll be doing yet another recorded video live/studio performance, this time keeping it local with friends Null/Void, broadcasting out of the well-known Glasgow venue Nice N Sleazy. It’s from 8pm til late this Sunday, 21 June 2020.

BandCamp Juneteenth Black Lives Matter

Juneteenth Sale To Help Stand Against Racial Injustice

19 June 2020

Today BandCamp is donating all of their fees today on Juneteenth to the NAACP Legal Defense Fund to support racial injustice, inequality and change. As with the Bandcamp sale earlier this month, all proceeds from the Soft Riot / Possession Records sales today will go to Black Lives Matter UK.

Marcel Wave "Moon King" Video - Still

Marcel Wave “Moon King” Video

15 June 2020

The new video for the track “The Moon King” by synth-pop artist Marcel Wave is now online, with filming, production and video effects done by myself. Read on for more information and to watch the video.

STRICT TEMPO 2020-06-11 - Hosted by DJ Vox Sinistra

Video Live Performance on Strict Tempo

8 June 2020

A bit short notice on this announcement but frankly we’ve all be wrapped up with major, seismic events going on in the world at the moment, as you can read more about in this post. I’ll be doing a video-recorded live/studio performance scheduled for 18 June 2020, for STRICT TEMPO out of Seattle, Washington. Thanks to DJ Vox Sinistra for the invite to contribute to this online event.

Fred "Freak" Smith

Contributions, Nominations and Reconstructions : Some June News

7 June 2020

Some news regarding donations to the UKBLM campaign, next post-punk bands to watch and a revamp of video content on the site.

Gothic Pogo XIV.5 Livestream | Ident Still

Video Treats for Gothic Pogo Livestream

28 May 2020

Starting tomorrow, the Gothic Pogo XIV.5 Livestream commences with 3 days of musical acts and DJs from around the world. Along with a live/studio Soft Riot performance of three songs, there’s a bunch of other video treats that have been created for this online festival upon request of the fine folks at Gothic Pogo.

Soft Riot live in the studio for Moonfrog TV

Moonfrog & Gothic Pogo Livestream Shows

19 May 2020

After contributing an exclusive live performance to the online Gothicat Festival #2 earlier this month there’s two more Soft Riot online performances coming up right around the corner: 24 May 2020 for Moonfrog TV and then during the three days of Gothic Pogo XIV.5 Livestream.

She Past Away | "Durdu Dünya" (Boy Harsher Remix) Video Still

She Past Away “Durdu Dünya” Video by Flustervision

8 May 2020

And another video for the Turkish post-punk band She Past Away by Flustervision has premiered today! It is for the track “Durdu Dünya” which has been given a re-work by the American synth duo Boy Harsher as part of She Past Away‘s most recent release, X, which celebrates ten years of the band making music […]

Double Anniversary of two releases: Hyperbolic Masses and Sounds In Alternate Pictures

A Double Anniversary for Two Releases

3 May 2020

Today is the anniversary of two releases, both released in past years on May 3rd with Hyperbolic Masses released in 2012 and Sounds In Alternate Pictures released in 2016 on this same day.

SOFT RIOT "Chin Up" | CD and Cassette

The New Album “Chin Up” Out Now

27 April 2020

The new ealbum Chin Up is out now! A collection of 11 tracks that make for a “one off” release for a more experimental, ambient-leaning soundm the majority of these tracks where written at the same time as the recent album When Push Comes To Shove.

Gothicat Festival #2 | Online Banner

A Special Performance for Gothicat #2 Online Festival

26 April 2020

As a lot of the world is just over a month into lockdown over the current Covid-19 pandemic, there’s been a rise in bands and promoters getting creative and taking a lot performance activity online for the time being. This coming weekend one of those festivals is the currently ongoing Gothicat Festival, of which I’ve […]

She Past Away "Ritüel" — The Soft Moon Remix | Video Still

She Past Away “Ritüel” Video by Flustervision

19 April 2020

Flustervision, a video production parntnership between myself and Glasgow video artist Georgina Penstkart, have recently done a video for the Turkish post-punk band She Past Away for their track “Ritüel”, remixed by The Soft Moon off their most recently remix album X on Fabrika Records.

Soft Riot "Who Knows Where You'll Be" Video Still

“Who Knows Where You’ll Be” Video Premiere

16 April 2020

Many thanks to the music site White Light/White Heat for premiering the first video from the album Chin Up for the track “Who Knows Where You’ll Be”. “Detached, disillusioned lyrics tread through an unsure existence in a disconnected search to find comfort and understanding.”

Soft Riot | Chin Up

Announcing the newest album, Chin Up

6 April 2020

Available on digital and limited CD and cassete, the majority of the tracks from this album were written at the same time as the tracks from the most recent release, When Push Comes To Shove. Chin Up was mostly written in the late night hours as an escape from the trappings of things like culture, scenes, political calamity, information overload, existential dread and the confines of what is considered synthesizer pop music.

Soft Riot | Records & Influences - Featured Image

Influences: A Timeline Of Some Of My Favourite Records

29 March 2020

As we are now in midst of a lockdown during a very monumental pandemic, I thought it seemed like the best time more than ever to do a very in-depth post about over 30 of my favourite and most influencial records. Get reading!

Soft Riot Promo Photo | 2020-03

Love In The Time Of Covid

17 March 2020

I’m back in Glasgow after an aborted tour in Germany, Belgium and The Netherlands due to the ongoing COVID-19 situation. All shows were cancelled by promoters, whom we worked with and unanimously felt this was the best idea. As I’m now back home, I thought I’d write this post.

Soft Riot "Stay Healthy" Sale | New Fridge Magnet and VOIDAMOL 38mm Badge

New Merch Items and “Stay Healthy” Sale

17 March 2020

Like many artists, especially those adversely effected by the ongoing COVID-19 situation, are going to be looking at support through sales of albums and merchandise to get them through this difficult time. For the next few weeks you can enter the code stayhealthy when checking out on the Soft Riot store and get 30% off all items.